Cricket Australia
From 1999-2007, the cricketing realm saw an epoch of dominance and supremacy from the Australian side. They created a world record by winning three world cups in a row. And in the test format as well they displayed their majestic game. They were indomitable and resilient. All teams were sent tremor attacks by this champion side. This team pulled victory in very grave and severe circumstances too! They broke winning streaks of various brilliant teams when they were at their peak forms. The Aussie Players held the top position in all departments. The ranking came to a standstill as Australia was dominant at the topmost position for many years. Australia and Victory were pronounced in a single breath! It was during this era of authority that they created a world record of winning more than ten matches in a row in both ODI and Test formats of the game! But, now the times have changed. Australia who ruled for almost a decade is no more commanding and ruling the world cricket. They are no longer the supreme power!
So, what possibly can be the chief causes for the collapse of such a marvellous and fabulous team? Is the young Aussie team incompetent? Has Ponting lost command? Is the team composition unbalanced? This can perchance be accredited to the datum that they no longer have match winners like Mcgrath, Gilchrist, Warne, Hayden and Symonds who had the potential to turn the game on its head and rip off the opposition! They have all bid goodbyes to the game. These mavericks had the potential to dangle their team oust in tough and critical situations. The captain Ponting was in a pretty comfortable condition. All he had to do was call upon one of these prodigies and they always delivered. Be it Test cricket or ODI cricket there was Mcgrath or Warne to respond positively in the bowling. And, Gilchrist and Hayden rattled the opposition with their aggressive style of batting. ‘The Giant’ Symonds also generated a control over opposition at will.
The youngsters of Australia are talented. They are accomplished. They have the prospective of upsetting the opposition. But, they are irrefutably not as lethal as were the terrific retired players in the history of Australian Cricket. It’s not easy to find a disciplined and meticulous bowler as Mcgrath or a phenomenal spinner as Warne. Neither can a keeper-batsman reach the standards which the blitzkrieg Gilchrist has set!
The Australian era of dominance and arrogance has reached its culmination. The ground is now open! The stage is set for the other sides like India, England and South Africa to succeed. But, the argument is will it be really possible to again have a team combination like the immaculate and virtuoso Australia of 1999-2007?! Well, let the time decide…
By: Chintan Zalani
