Team INDIA-World Champions 2007?
I just love cricket. I see the game for the love of it. Its doesn’t matter who is playing, who is winning I just love to watch it. I have seen atleast 10 Ranji trophy matches played by Kerala, my home state. I have seen most of the first class cricket matches held in Kerala Agricultural College ground which is less than 200 meters from my house.
I was watching the third one day match between India and Pakistan. It was one of the best run chase by India I have ever seen in my life. The way India chased the run made me feel that I am seeing the next world champions in action.
What made me think like that? I started comparing present India team to two time defending world champions Australia. Why are Australia world champions in both Test matches and one day matches? I believe the answer is very simple- for every spot they have atleast 2 players.
Take the Australian one day team- they have the liberty of four openers – Hayden, Katich, Clarke and Gilchrist. In middle order they have at least 6 to 7 players to choose from. They have a great pool of allrounders. They are not dependent on any particular bowler to bowl out the opposition. Moreover each and everyone is an excellent fielder
Take the case of others Test playing nations. SriLanka depend heavily on Jayasuriya and Attapattu for batting, Vaas and Muralithadaran for bowling, New Zealand on Fleming and Astle, Pakistan on Inzamam and Shoaib Akhtar, England on Flintoff, South Africa on Smith and Kallis, West Indies on Lara to win them matches.
Now take the case of India. There was a time when people stop watching when Tendulkar gets out. Is it the case with present team. Like Australia we have atleast 4 openers to choose from –Tendulkar, Sehwag, Ganguly and Gambhir. Dhoni, Pathan, Dravid or Kaif can walk in at number three. Yuvaraj, Raina, Dhoni or Pathan can come in late in the order and accelerate at will in the dearth. Regarding bowling department we have a long list to choose from – Zaheer, Pathan, Sreeshant, R P Singh, Agarkar, Harbhajan Singh etc. The strength of the present day India team can be judged by the fact that classy players like VVS Laxman and Kumble cannot find a place in the team.
The point I want to make is that TEAM INDIA no longer depends on any player to deliver the goods. Rather the one day team plays as a unit. When a team plays like a unit, the result has to be win and more wins. That is exactly what is happening to TEAM INDIA.
2007 World Cup in West Indies - Best Chance for TEAM INDIA to lift the World Cup , Will they raise to the occasion?
