Tag Archives: World Test Championship

Magical Messi & King Kohli

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The Argentine- an iconic, mesmerizing footballer. The Indian is a charismatic cricket superstar. Both have immeasurably enriched, enhanced, and influenced their sport. The Internet and social media are overflowing with information about their goals and assists or runs and centuries and trophies and awards. However, it’s more intriguing to explore their seminal impact on football and cricket and beyond. More than an 8th Ballon d’Or trophy, what excites me is the real possibility of Messi holding up the Super Ballon d’Or later this year. A unique recognition for the player of a generation. The only previous awardee was Alfred Di Stefano in 1989. Virat Kohli has been proclaimed the ICC Player of the Decade (2011-20) and won a hat-trick of Wisden Cricketer of the Year awards from 2016-18.

Enough has been said about the sublime, magical skills of Leo Messi with football. Over the last 15 years, he has weaved an extraordinary dimension around The Beautiful Game. But what the world witnessed before and after the classic WC final in Qatar was staggering- a global, social phenomenon of heartfelt support for Messi to lift the WC trophy with the Argentina team. This overwhelming emotion has been captured by the legendary Brazilian striker Ronaldo 9, “This guy’s football throws away any rivalry to the corner. I saw lots of Brazilians and people from all over the world rooting for Messi in this electrifying final. A farewell worthy of a genius-who far beyond a World Cup star- captured an era.” Former President Obama and basketball megastar LeBron James felicitated him as the GOAT (Greatest of All Time). Roger Federer served in his elegant manner, “Time and Time again, Leo Messi, you have redefined greatness.” Messi kissing the World Cup is the most liked post on social media. And get this- the outpouring of support by Bangladesh supporters led to the resumption of normal diplomatic ties with Argentina re-opening its embassy in Dhaka-closed since 1978.

A slice of the humongous praise Lionel Messi has earned over the years. The Dutch great Frank Rijkaard says that “his goals are a piece of art” and the late Radomir Antic’ referred to him as ‘the Mozart of football.’ Arsene Wenger (Arsenal football manager) has said that “Messi is the footballer from a PlayStation game, things that are impossible to do, he makes them possible.” Jose Mourinho’s (Head Coach, Roma) one-word take on Messi = ‘ Magic.’

The burden of expectations on the Argentinan forward has been brutal. To his everlasting credit, he has taken it all in his stride with grace, dignity, and an indomitable spirit. For years many fellow Argentines had not considered him as one of their own.  He was part of FC Barcelona in faraway Spain. Maradona and the famous 1986 WC victory were the albatross around his neck. It did not matter that he had won the Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics with the Argentina team; it did not matter that he had single-handedly taken an average national side to the 2014 WC final against Germany which they lost 1-0; it did not matter that he had won the Golden Ball award (player of the tournament); it also did not matter that he inspired his team to 2 consecutive Copa America finals as they lost. After the disastrous 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia at the Qatar WC, the GOAT was mercilessly trolled and compared to the camel. There were even graphic references to what happened to the GOAT. Millions of Cristiano Ronaldo (CR7) fans jumped in with relish.

Manager Scaloni and many in the Argentina team have openly stated that they had come forward to rally behind their captain for ‘The Last Dance’ win for Messi at Doha. The Golden Gloves winner Emiliano Martinez put across his loyalty simply, “I want to give him life. I want to die for him.” Angel di Maria, who also played a stellar role at the Qatar tournament, harked back to the Copa America finals in 2021. He had earlier missed the WC final in 2014 & the 2 Copa America finals thereafter due to injuries. Messi told him that this was his final and his moment to shine. The personal touch.  The attacking midfielder rose to the occasion by scoring the only goal of the match.  

Argentina’s most famous person is also known for his humility and sportsmanship. His astounding record of assists shows him to be the ultimate team player. He has never taken a dive to get a free kick or penalty awarded. Hence, the testy exchanges with the Netherlands coach and the criticism of the referee came as a surprise to many who had followed his career. In a recent interview, he expressed his regrets for the controversy. Grapevine has it that his wife scolded him for his messy behavior. Just goes to show that a footballer often described as an alien from another planet is also human. The Leo Messi Foundation has a bigger goal. It has done exceptional philanthropic work in health, education, and sports. His Euro 1 million donation for clinics and healthcare facilities during the pandemic in Argentina also happened without much fanfare.

Tennis star Andy Murray recently asked, “if the 5ft 7 Messi is the best athlete ever.” At age 35, he played every single moment of the Argentina campaign, every grueling minute of the 7 matches including the 139 mins vs Netherlands and the 141 minutes against France.

Virat Kohli has been described as a Phenom, a Run Machine, a batting virtuoso, and the proud face of Indian cricket. His athleticism and in-the-face aggression have resonated hugely with countless millions of Indian cricket fans. Sunil Gavaskar, the batting maestro, makes his point with a straight drive, “To become a good player you need talent. To become a truly great player you need an attitude like Virat.” Australia’s champion Ricky Ponting is “not sure if I have ever seen a white ball cricketer better than Kohli.”  It’s also pertinent to recall that he was a part of the 2008 U19 WC winning team and also a part of MS Dhoni’s 2011 ODI WC champion squad.

Kohli’s true legacy as a captain was his focus on raising the fitness levels of the players. The Yo-Yo test has been the benchmark of fitness in the Indian cricket team since 2017. This is essentially an aerobic test that tests the endurance of a player at increasing speeds until exhaustion. The cut-off was raised from 16.1 to 16.5 to the current 17.1. Only Hardik Pandya and Manish Pandey have scored a little higher than Kohli. He has also been the inspiration for a number of current and emerging players with his special perspective and passion for the game. The other laudable initiative was that even the lower-order batsmen would spend quality time batting in the nets. The tail should value their wickets and wag vigorously whenever the team needed. Hence, we have the current scenario where Ashwin, Shami, and Axar Patel are taking the fight to the Australian bowlers and winning matches for India.

There are many similarities between Kohli and Cristiano Ronaldo. Both are cast in the same mold.  CR7 is considered the ultimate physical athlete and Kohli’s diet and exercise regime have become part of Indian cricket lore. Both are intense and aggressive on the field. Ronaldo’s fallout with the Man U coach and subsequent exit takes us back to Kohli getting Kumble removed as coach and replaced by Shastri.  The Portuguese footballer’s controversial interview with Piers Morgan taking down Man U and coach Erik ten Hag; the recent sting operation which again revealed the perceived ego clash between Kohli and BCCI chief Ganguly and what was said and not said during the former’s pre-South Africa tour conference. Also in both cases, celebrity Dom has far transcended football or cricket. CR7 has the highest Instagram following for any sportsperson at 537 million. Lionel Messi has around 400 million followers. Kohli is by far the most followed cricket player in the world with around 130 million glued to him on Instagram. Roger Federer and footballer Sergio Ramos are among them. A juicy titbit- Kohli has converted Kishore Kumar’s bungalow ‘Gauri Kunj’ in Juhu into a swanky restaurant as part of his ‘One 8 Commune’ chain. VK is a passionate fan of KK but is also following in the food steps of Kapil Dev, Ganguly, and Zaheer Khan. On the social service front, his VK Foundation (2013) has done commendable work in supporting the underprivileged and vulnerable sections of society through education and sports workshops. Anushka Sharma’s mission to take care of stray dogs in Mumbai has now expanded to providing food, shelter, and Vet facilities for the strays.

Kohli’s post to CR7 after Portugal’s exit from the WC, “No title can explain the impact you’ve had on people and what I and so many around the world feel when we watch you play. That’s a gift from God.” But titles do matter for logging in to the all-time Hall of Fame, be it in an individual or team sport; whether it’s Usain Bolt or Djokovic, Chicago Bulls, or the Men in Blue. The glaring difference in the incredible success stories of Messi and Kohli is that the former was under relentless pressure to deliver the WC and Copa America titles for Argentina.  Kohli has had a relatively easy pass even during his slump in form with the BCCI, the media, and his vast fan following all being supportive. Even when he got out for a low score the cameras stayed with him and his doing a small dance jig in the dressing room went viral.

Now we are looking at Kohli 2.0. A somewhat mellowed person, past the burn-out phase and regaining his prime form.  But the game of cricket has changed dramatically over the last few years. Brendon McCullum and the English team have brought Bazball into Test cricket- attacking, entertaining, high-scoring games rather than playing defensive cricket to preserve wickets. So the England side topped 500 runs in a day in Pakistan in just under 75 overs. The 400-run barrier has been regularly breached in the 50-over format. 250 plus in the T20 game does not raise any eyebrows anymore. Indian cricket now looks at its talisman Virat Kohli to be in the zone in key matches- such as smashing a blistering 166 runs in 110 balls as he did against Sri Lanka and 82 runs in 53 balls in that sensational knock at the MCG against Pakistan in the T20 WC.

The Indian team will likely play Australia in the World Test Championship final at the Oval in June 2023. Followed by the ODI World Cup on home soil in Oct- Nov 2023. On the 18th Dec 2022, Lionel Messi had the world at his feet. Will the year 2023 see the grand coronation of King Kohli?!

The Men in Blue 2.0

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The Asia Cup cricket tournament is on and the Men in Blue are serving their customary fare. Flatter to deceive.  Winning their opening outing against arch-rivals Pakistan in a thriller and then just succumbing to them in their next encounter.  This does not augur well for the national cricket team in the T 20 WC to be played in Australia in October-November this year. The only positive takeaways have been the return to form of master batsman Virat Kohli and some high adrenaline performances from Hardik Pandya and Surya Kumar Yadav.

Let us set the bar high. Win the Asia Cup to propel the side to win the Major-Down-Under. With our cricketers getting the VVIP treatment both in money terms and fame, should we settle for less? With an abundance of talent, with an amazing bench-strength the National cricket team is underperforming on the biggest stages of all.

Men in Blue 2.0. A lot is expected from the players under the mentorship of Rahul Dravid. But his innings thus far has been a mixed bag. The highs have been the 2-1 ODI win and 2-1 T 20 victory against a resurgent England side in England earlier this year. The down-side was allowing them to draw the Test series 2-2 in the one-off Test. One may add beating the West Indies on their home turf in the ODI 3-0 and T 20 by 4-1. The Windies are a very combative side in the T 20 format. They won the ICC trophies in 2012 and 2016. The loss to South Africa 2-1 in Tests and 3-0 in ODI’s hurts. Remember-Kohli resigned from captaincy after the loss of the Test series. There are Statistics and then there are Impact Stats. Winning matches on SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) tours define the aura for the Indian cricket team. The conditions+ pitches+ opposition take these contests to another level of grit, flair and competition. Plus, plus, plus lifting the ICC World Cup trophies across formats- Tests, ODI’s, T 20’s. These test the nerves and temperament, the skills and adaptability of the best of cricketers. The best that can be said as of now is that the Indian cricket team under Head Coach Dravid is still to find its mojo. Let’s hope that the unit hits top gear soon. A trivia worth sharing- in his 10 month stint thus far Dravid has worked with 7 Indian captains.

Bilateral series wins on Indian turf cannot be discounted. But Indian teams across the last 2 decades and more have stood tall on home pitches. A couple of years back the bombastic coach Shastri hailed the Indian team as the best ever to represent the country.  Really?! A reality check is in order per the SENA tours and the big ICC trophies. We lost the Test series 4-1 to England in 2018; ODI 2-1; T 20 2-1. Lost the Test Series to New Zealand 2-0 in 2020. The high point has been the never-say-die Test tour of England in 2021 where India led the Test Series 2-1 with the hosts levelling the series 2-2 earlier this year. And the T 20 away win in Kiwi-land in 2020. Much hype has been created about our 2018-19 victory tour of Australia. To spell out the context. The Aussies were still shamefully coping with the cheating scandal called ‘Sandpapergate’- ball tampering on the South African tour. Their top players Smith and Warner had been suspended for a year. Morale was at a grim low. Players were booed by their own people across all the venues. The Miracle Down Under under Rahane in 2021 is the real thing. The 36 all-out in the First Test. Losing top players to injury. Against All Odds. The rest is history.

World Cup silverware has not adorned BCCI shelves since the Championship trophy of 2013. Losing the Test Championship at Lords to New Zealand in 2021. Exiting the ODI semi-final in England in 2019. Not making it to the knock-out stage at the 2021 T 20 tournament. Let’s hark back to those who wore the Indian cap and colours in the earlier years. Winners of the ICC World Cup in 1983 and 2011. The T 20 WC in 2007. The Champions trophy in 2002 and 2013. Runners up at the ODI WC in 2003 and T 20 in 2014.

Stats can be spun to suit the narrative. Social media can amplify and distort the same. Is the Indian cricket team in the same league as the majestic Windies team of the late 70’s and 80’s? Or the great Australian side under Waugh and Ponting?  These teams dominated the game for almost a decade. The Caribbean Calypsos did not lose a series for 10 years and more. Beyond the wins and the silver-ware they influenced and changed how the game of cricket was played. Interestingly, it was India that stopped the Windies juggernaut at Lords ’83 and again India that shattered the Aussie dreams of capturing the Last Frontier in 2001.

Shrug, shrug. In the opinion of many the challenge of the SENA tours and losing out on ICC majors does not seem to matter. After all, India is the centre of gravity of the cricketing world. Are we suffering from the Super Bowl syndrome of American football?! The IPL is the second richest sports league in the world after the English Premier League. Hope that Indian cricket is not affected by the curse of English football. The most followed football league on the planet but no major trophy for the English team since WC 1966. The powers that be and the Influencers of Indian cricket should understand that the fortunes of the IPL are inextricably linked to the fortunes of the Men in Blue.

Let’s look at other sports. The Spanish football team dominated the world of football for 5 years from 2008 to 2012.They won the European Championships in 2008 and 2012 and the World Cup in 2010. The 2010 team is considered by some pundits as the greatest of all time. Now 12 years on, can you remember any marquee names?  Possibly one or two in one of the best football squads ever. To quote from one of the experts, “the journey of the treble of trophies was a long time coming for La Roja. After years of near misses and underachievement, Spain’s golden generation-produced largely by Barcelona and Real Madrid- became an unstoppable force.”

Let’s look at individual icons in a team sport. Lionel Messi is right up there in the stratosphere of football all-time greats. Some consider him the G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) for his magical skills and abilities on the football field. But what haunted this Superstar was that he had not won any major tournament with the Argentina team. Till the Copa America in 2021. That he propelled his national team to the WC final in 2014 (1-0) loss to Germany or 2 successive Copa America finals in 2015-2016 did not count. At the top levels in international sports- the World Cups, Grand Slams, Continental Championships, Olympics- it’s holding aloft the trophy or wearing the gold medal that matters.

Domination of the game in all 3 formats is the only ticket for the Men in Blue into crickets ‘Immortal Hall of Fame.’ As ardent well-wishers we hope that the time starts now and continues for a few years on.

Overhyped? Or Underachievers?

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PIC COURTESY: HEMANT SINGH

The drubbings at the hands of Pakistan and New Zealand in the T20 World Cup tick both the boxes in the above title. Getting thrashed by 10 wickets and 8 wickets is akin to an innings defeat in a Test match. The Men in Blue are out of another ICC major championship —only this time not making it to the knock-out stage.

Is it such a rude shock? Not really. First, the hype. The IPL is the world’s most glamorous cricket carnival hosted by the richest cricket body, the BCCI. It has given opportunity and confidence to the younger players and enhanced the fitness levels of our cricketers. Some of India’s best have been spotted by IPL franchise scouts; Bumrah was discovered by the Mumbai Indians. The flip side is that it does not have the intensity found in major ICC tournaments or even in well-contested series especially with the SENA nations. The cricketers are feted as celebrities and the real contest and the competitive edge are missing. But here lies the catch. The fortunes of the IPL and Team India are interlinked. If the latter continues to underperform at major tournaments, the mass following for the IPL will dwindle.

Many well-paid commentators, including ex-cricketer experts, have all jumped onto the gravy train. So on international series and tours, they no longer objectively call out selection mistakes, wrong captaincy calls, poor reading of the game, bad sportsmanship, or cracks appearing in team spirit. So when Shastri says that this is the greatest Indian team ever, there is a chorus of approvals. While Kohli says his team can win from any situation, there is chest-thumping in the media. Overconfidence leads to bad results. Curiously, there is very little focus on Impact players from the other teams. Remember that Harsha Bhogle was put out in the cold for some time a few years back. His sin – he had something good to say about the competing international players also. Millions of die-hard fans have been fed this false narrative that our cricket team is head and shoulders above the other teams. Bad days like the 36 all out at Adelaide and the 78 at Headingley on the recent England tour and the defeats at the 2019 ODI WC and the World Test Championships in 2021 are all swept under the carpet.

Indian cricket has an abundance of talent and bench strength which is the envy of other cricketing nations. But this has to be mobilized and harnessed effectively by the captain, coach, selectors, and the BCCI. Captain Kohli’s in-one’s-face aggression has won him a huge legion of fans. But such relentless intensity has also undermined his batsmanship – he is showing symptoms of burn-out. He has been crass and hyper on the field and per reliable reports in the dressing room also. The dressing room environment gradually creeps onto the cricket field. It is bound to affect both team spirit and individual performances. Both are two sides of the same coin. Now let’s talk about Mr Shastri. As the captain’s hand-picked coach and Yes Man, he is also accountable for our futile run at the ICC tournaments. With a rich repository of cricket talent to tap into, this is not acceptable. The toxicity started with the ouster of Kumble as coach at Kohli’s behest and the silence from the BCCI and the cricket establishment. Virat Kohli has gradually become bigger than the game in India. Erratic selection, benching of in-form players, taking decisions solely by instinct, and throwing tantrums have all become acceptable over the years. Analytics inputs or sensible advice from the outside even by a reputed name have all been given the short end of the stick. Team bonding and consistency have suffered and even seasoned players have not played up to their potential.

The extended bio-bubble may have taken its toll on the players. It is also possible that some had tired legs or felt stale with the second leg of the IPL just before the WC T20. But this does not tell the entire story. Pakistan’s cricket team is driven by hunger, anger, and passion. They feel marginalized on the world cricket circuit and have grabbed this opportunity to drive home their point. They are playing out of their skins.

Front and Centre are 2 subjects which are almost taboo topics for our cricketing establishment or brotherhood. Thankfully, Madan Lal has been critical about the scheduling of the IPL second leg just before the T20 WC.  Kapil Dev has gone even further- whether the Indian cricketers are giving more preference to this cash rich franchise league than to the singular honour of playing for the country. In the future the BCCI will have to give serious thought to player work-loads and series and tournament schedules with the prime focus being that the Men in Blue bring home some much needed silverware. Else they are killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. The success of the Indian Premier League draws from the success of the national cricket team.

The other relates to Virat Kohli’s captaincy. I guess the jury will always be out on this one. Kohli has become an icon for millions of Indian fans not only because of superlative batting performances but because of his raw aggression, passion for fitness and wearing his heart on his sleeve. Even after his team’s very disappointing exit from the ongoing T20 WC his army of admirers on social media hail him as King Kohli. The cricketing experts and the media in general are tip-toeing around the subject with diplomatic grace. We are living in some strange bubble.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Rahul Dravid will be the next coach. A true cricketing legend and a mentor for many of the younger stars through U19, India ‘A’, and the National Cricket Academy. Immense match experience and cricketing acumen: focused, grounded, level-headed, and universally respected. When The Wall walked out to bat one could see the Indian tricolour fluttering in the breeze. But he has his work cut out. There are challenging times ahead and he has to be given a free hand. Virat Kohli continues as captain for the Tests and ODI’s. Will he listen, change, adapt or even reinvent himself? Regain his mojo as a masterclass batsman? Some of the impressionable youngsters have bought into the hype and the celebrity-dom. They have to face the reality check and rediscover their day-to-day balance. Dravid’s mission is not just to get the Indian cricket team to bond together and play to their fullest potential. He has to get each person on the Indian team to value and respect the India cap to the fullest. And even more. Play to win but with the sporting spirit currently demonstrated by Kane Williamson’s Kiwis.

Is the Indian Cricket Team on the Cusp of Greatness?

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(File image: Reuters)

After the miracle Down-Under and the wins against England at home, many pundits and fans have already anointed India as the champion cricket team. Ravi Shastri’s bombast adds to this somewhat pre-mature exuberance and celebrations. However, Ian Chappell’s recent observations brings a positive perspective and a lot of cheer and hope for the Indian cricket follower. “India have finally got the equation right and as long as they can avoid the pitfalls often associated with continuing success, they are better equipped than any other team to produce an era of dominance. The rest of the cricketing world.Beware!”

To be hailed amongst the all-time great teams India would need to show its class against quality opposition on their turf. And demonstrate supremacy on home soil. Really perform on the big occasions. Across the 3 formats- Tests, ODI’s, T20 cricket.

An objective look at our recent track record against the SENA nations (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia), shows that Indian cricket still has much to conquer. (0-1) Australia in 2015, (1-2) SA 17-18, (1-4) England 2018, (2-1) Australia 2018 and (0-2) New Zealand 2019-20. The Australian tour win be seen in the context of the host side shaken by the sandpaper-gate scandal and without their best batsmen Smith and Warner. Nine of our overseas Test wins have been against Sri Lanka (5) and the West Indies (4) languishing at the bottom of the table. Also take cognisance of our semi-final exits in the 2016 T 20 WC and the 2019 ODI WC.

The West Indies cricket team under Lloyd and Richards dominated cricket from the late 70’s till the end of the 80’s. They comprehensively won on all the Australia tours, only drawing the 1981-82 series (1-1). From 1976 onwards, they beat England in England decisively including a 5-0 blackwash in 1984. India, considered a difficult place to tour, lost (0-3) in 1983-84 followed by a (1-1) draw in 1987. Under Viv Richards they did not lose a Test series from 1984-91.

The Windies transformed themselves from a bunch of easy-going Calypso cricketers to a charismatic band of winners. Their sheer athleticism, ability to play exhilarating and attacking cricket, improvise and control the game changed cricket itself. The lethal pace quartet revolutionised the sport and the Caribbean impact was such that to this day cricket buffs can recall the names of all the players  in their squad and not just the marquee ones.The men in the maroon caps had also won the first 2 editions of the ODI WC in 1975 and 79 before losing to India in the memorable final in 83.

The Aussies under Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting were world beaters for almost a decade. They won the ODI trophy in 1999, 2003 and 2007. Awesome!!! Championship titles in 2006 and 2009. Their record in the other SENA countries is impressive. Under Waugh they won 8 out of 9 Ashes Tests, losing only one. Also, he led them to 15 of their record 16 consecutive  victories. England beat Ponting’s XI in a thrilling 2005 Ashes series (2-1) but they exacted a 5-0 whitewash revenge at home in 2006- 07. The stamp of Aussie dominance can be gauged by the fact that Ponting is the only cricketer in history to be a part of 100 Test victories. The next 6 top players with most Test wins are all Australians who were intrinsic parts of the great teams of the late ‘90’s-2000’s.

This Aussie era was marked by ruthless efficiency and driven by cold-blooded scientific analysis and planning. Sledging also reached its peak as winning was everything. But other than Waugh and Ponting others like Gilchrist and Hayden and McGrath and Warne have also left huge shadows on the cricketing grounds.

A few interesting nuggets for Indian buffs. Waugh’s winning streak ended at the Eden Gardens on the classic tour of India in2001. (2-1 for india) The Aussies could not breach the Last Frontier. Ricky Ponting never won a Test match in India, played 7 and lost 5. But under his captaincy from 2005 to 2008 there was a second incredible show of dominance over 22 undefeated matches and 20 wins. India again played the Spoiler at Perth in one of Indian cricket’s most famous overseas wins.

2008-14 was the golden age of Spanish football.  Spain topped FIFA rankings for 6 years winning the UEFA Championships in 2008 & 2012 and the FIFA World Cup in 2010. The first team to win 3 consecutive world trophies. From 2010-13 they went undefeated for 29 games. And the Spanish team scored the highest maximum points for WC qualification- 30 out of 30. The star players were mainly drawn from Barcelona and Real Madrid, bitter rivals in the domestic La Liga. But they combined as a team at the national level with the Tiki Taka style of play of short, quick passes. Retaining possession of the ball, wearing down and opening up the opposing defence and then shifting gears. They took the game to another level with their precision, well-oiled football.

After watching ‘ The Last Dance’ on Netflix, the glorious story of the Chicago Bulls stays with you. The treble NBA championships from 1991-93 and an euphoric encore from 1996-98. Although the Bulls have become synonymous with Michael Jordan, it went beyond MJ. The coach, Phil Jackson, created a great team around MJ for the first hat-trick of trophies. When MJ came back from retirement he was moulded into the ultimate team player with the likes of Scottie Pippen, Rodman and Toni Kukoc playing critical and even game winning roles. The dissipation and fall of the team due to the whims and ego of a General Manager and a pliant owner is both poignant and educative. Great teams are very difficult to build. Once they happen and come together they find a life and synergy of their own.

Sunil Gavaskar believes that India has a great team. He comments, “A captain is always as good as his team and he has a terrific team under him. The full balance of the team has been fantastic. When you have something like that you will win more matches than you lose.” He continues about the “terrific opening batsmen, a very good middle order and a bowling attack which has most variety. A wicketkeeper who is very good and who can come down the order and pummel the bowlers.”

Indeed, the bench strength is deep and impressive. We have 2/3 more openers who can take on international attacks. There is strong competition for the middle order slots. A pool of good all-rounders led by Jadeja lends flexibility to the team. A fit and energetic fielding side- thanks to the example set by Kohli and the demands of the IPL. A potent fast bowling battery plus an array of good spinners to choose from. And the dashing Pant has to keep improving as he has Samson, Rahul, Karthick, Saha breathing down his neck to don the gloves. Indian cricket has never had it so good, verily, a plethora of resources.

Behind the scenes, Indian cricket owes a debt of gratitude to Rahul Dravid. Whether at the Cricket Academy or at the U-19 level, the break-out youngsters have been groomed and mentored by this cricketing legend. Young, raw talents have blossomed like never before.

The X factor to make Indian cricket the force that it is- is the fast bowling arsenal. We have at least a dozen bowlers in domestic cricket who can bowl at 140 kmph plus consistently and make the batsman hop and duck. A far cry from the days of Saeed Ahmed Hatteea (a Bombay quick) who was advised by shaken batsmen to cut down on his speed so that he would not burn himself out.

Bharat Arun, our bowling coach, believes that’ over the last 2-3 years Indian pacers have mastered the art of bowling fast, pushing for speeds of over 140 kmph. They have become fast and lethal and most importantly consistent in maintaining fitness which is a crucial issue for speedsters. Bumrah, Shami, Siraj, Yadav and Bhuvi have troubled batsmen in international cricket irrespective of playing conditions. They have hugely influenced Team India’s success to become a top-ranked nation in cricket.’

The only other ingredient for continuing success is team spirit and the hunger for wins. As shown by the Windies teams of the 80’s, the Aussies under Waugh and Ponting, the Bulls era in the 90’s and the golden period of Spanish football. The fairy-tale victory Down Under by Rahane’s depleted team have many lessons to take forward. About getting all players on board, playing to their best potential and at times even out of their skins.  Team Spirit adds an extra dimension of its own to team performance. Capt Kohli should reach out and tap into the cricketing brains of Sharma, Ashwin, Rahane and Bumrah in both strategizing for and reading the game.

2021 may well be the watershed year for Indian cricket if events unfold as per schedule. First, the World Test Championships at Lords vs New Zealand on the 18th June 2021. Followed by a gruelling 5Tests tour of England. To cap it all, the World T 20 tournament at home from Oct this year. If the Men in Blue win the Lord’s contest, have a good English tour and lift the T 20 cup, then they are on their way to the Hall of Fame. And we will be ushered into an exciting and enchanting Era of Indian cricket.