What a season this has been on
cricket front as well as for the nation.
It's been a while that this space had commented 'on the field' moments on subject as trivial as cricket. But as everyone
knows including the big brothers (Orwellian reference in this age) that this
space belong to a blogger.
The season started with 4 tests
in WI which was on the road and then home season run of 13 tests. Nevertheless
the efficiency of Indian team on its own shores was always been granted. There were the
aberrations as I recount like 2000 series
with SA , 2004 Aus series. These two series were won by pace which followed
a set trend by WI wins in 80s
(Marshall Holding and others). I remember the terror of these fast bowlers. I
remember that series when we grew up to
drinking Thumsup and getting a player picture on reverse of the lid and
completing the team to win fun bottles. How fooled we were just after a triumph
at the Lords versus WI when we claimed
ourselves world champions on that glorious evening in London in June 03. But it
was '85 Melbourne which made us felt like real champions which was followed
with Rothmans trophy victory in Sharjah . Only instance when foreign spinners
won on Indian soil in my cognizant
cricket memory is 2012-13 England in India . The pitch strategy had to
be blamed apart from exceptional skills by Cook, Pieterson, Monty and Swann....
This season has been most memorable acknowledging the winning ratio of Indian team . To say that it was a team effort is a cliché'
but then all stood up when it counted; be it skilful spin of Ashwin, unsung
batting heroics of Pujara, Rahul, Rahane , Vijay and most surprisingly pace
efforts led by Umesh ( who was exceptional in his bowling ahead of leading
pacers servicing their respective teams like SA, NZ , Aus , Eng), Ishant, Bhuvi
( priceless wicket of Smith whom we had no clue of getting out but this bowler
had that in final decider innings). Few new comers made their inclusions count like
Kuldip, Nair, Jayant . Lost were the old
guards like Mishra (Hard Trier), Rohit and few more . I would like also to acknowledge the rubbing
effects of Captain HOT ( as against reference to MSD) who mattered in all the
season with his bat except that the law
of averages caught up in final series where he mattered in a different
role countering everything said against
him and his team verbally . We did not miss Dhoni thanks to non fussed Saha
behind wickets and scoring crucial runs. And last but not the least it was
light and sound show of Sir Jadeja. Also
Kudos to Team Australia and captain smith for their performance and spirit.
It was not just the result of
series vs Australia but consistent performance of team against England , NZ and
WI ( Not that I discount Bangladesh) that made all fans, who followed Indian
cricket religiously since the times of Gavaskar and the great Kapil Dev take a
special note. We always will miss the generation of Ganguly, Dravid, VVS, Kumble
neither we ignore the impact of greatest SRT in all formats and game patterns. Then
Dhoni led us to ultimate glories in WC, ICCT20 and CT. Next Gen comprisng of Sehwag,
Yuvi, Bhajji, Gambhir, Pathan also
clicked when it mattered the most. Unsung heroes like Kaif (lords 02), Agarkar
(Adelaide 03), Bangar (Leeds 02), Akash Chopra and few more with due apologies
for non inclusion.
But this is pinnacle of history
for a hard core fan like yours truly. I hear someone say that victories in away
conditions matter most which they do but for now it's the best moment. Then
always there is a final frontier for everyone in cricket and life as said by
indomitable Steve Waugh . Just to mention that the Final Frontier is as fictional as star trek for all teams playing now. There
were teams like WI in 80s and Aus in
next two decades who managed to dominate everywhere. Wishing that this team
does same. Dil Mange More......
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