# 1

The year 2009 will go down as a high point in India’s cricket history, with the team being ranked at # 1 by the ICC. This, not withstanding the fact that we have not won a series in either Australia or South Africa. It was way back in 1971 that the Indian team got itself the label as the ‘unofficial’ world champs, following some convoluted logic, which went as follows: India defeated the West Indies & England. England had just beaten Australia and Pakistan. South Africa was out of the circuit due to apartheid and New Zealand the other test playing nation were minnows, so India were champs. We held on to the tag for a very short time. This time around, let us see how Dhoni and his boys perform.
While the pleased as a punch Indian team was gathering for their post match photo shoot, after soundly trashing the Sri Lankan’s at Mumbai, I noticed Rahul Dravid, standing beside Sachin Tendulkar, looking as always a little remote. There are certain guys who are just not part of the bonhomie. While Viru (Sehwag) is the hero of the moment, I was a little sad that the contribution of Dravid went unnoticed in the joy of winning.
Hark back to Motera, Ahmadabad, and the first test. India tottering at 32/4 on a seaming track and all that stood between the Sri Lankan pacers and certain defeat for us was the ‘Wall’ who came up with a classy 177. Had India gone down 1-0 in the series, the outcome may have been a little different and we may not have been rejoicing at all leave alone patting ourselves on the back that we are the # 1 Test playing nation.
The reason why Dravid rarely receives the accolades that he deserves is quite obvious. He is not a swashbuckling, gung ho swisher of the willow, a la Sehwag, who is every adolescents dream player ( not to be forgotten that Sehwag can play the way he does because he knows that Dravid & Tendulkar follow). However Dravid is around when the chips are down (poetic), but then who wants to talk about the bad times. Do we even want to talk about the fact that India’s best (Sehwag/Gambhir/Tendulkar/Laxman) were knocked over by a Lankan rookie pacer ?
It is this seeming inability in moments of triumph, to introspect that has been our cause of downfall earlier. Remember 1983, Kapil’s boys winners of the 1983 Prudential World Cup, were thrashed at home (5-0) by a ruthless West Indies. The result might have been a little better for the Indians had they planned better.
As a cricket watcher, to me, there seem to be troubling hollow areas with the Indian team. The fast bowlers are not in place and the spinners are quite ordinary. We continue our search for an all rounder. While I do not enjoy the role of a party pooper I think our stay at the summit is likely to be short lived.
There is also a raging debate as to which of the teams, 1971 or 2009 is better. In my opinion, the 1971 team had better bowlers while the 2009 team have great batters. Both had charismatic captain’s in Ajit Wadekar & Dhoni, so a draw would be in place…………………
Where does my heart lie? With the 1971 team, of course. Who can forget, Bishen Bedi, in his colorful patka and Chandrasekhar making great batsmen look foolish with their spin & guile.The solid defense of Gavaskar and the Vishwanath's grace & style. Those were the days when pajama (one day) cricket had not made an entry and cricket was still cricket ( as I played it ).
And so, thank God for small mercies, we are # 1 where it matters, in the real form of cricket where brain rules brawn and watching cricket requires one to use their mental faculties and the game is not reduced to a cama de una noche.