Indian Cricket
India’s successful victory at Durban, a triumph that has definitely eased the pain after the result at Centurion, ensured that it will end 2010 on an unbeaten note in the Test series. It also means that the Numero Uno rank, which India earned in October last year, isn’t threatened. Had India lost 3-0, India would have slipped a rank down by a decimal point.
In addition to that, all thanks to Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s bad luck with tosses. With Dhoni losing twelve out of thirteen tosses this year, India has constantly faced the worst of conditions. Yet it finds ways to stay in Tests and series with whatever little chance they spot and make the best out of it.
India has had a gainful 2010 as No. 1, winning three series – Bangladesh away, Australia and New Zealand at home and drawing the other two South Africa at home earlier this year and Sri Lanka away in mid 2010.
For nine consecutive series, which is an Indian record, the team hasn’t been conquered. What’s more something to be proud of is that seven of those nine series encounters including a landmark series in New Zealand, have been won. This too without India’s greatest test match winning bowler, Anil Kumble, who has played such a fundamental role in the team’s ascent to the top.
The senior most members consisting of Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Zaheer Khan has about it the reassuring comfort of a dark wood study. Although they are the experienced and ‘skill players‘, they also know how to get the best out of their bodies during a period of five days, so that they can compete with faster, stronger and younger athletes of the other side.
Their success in elongating their career span has helped India greatly, their presence has also helped Virender Sehwag get the stability to bat the way he does to set matches up. If at all one has to criticize Dhoni’s eleven, it is that the team struggles when bowling on flat tracks, and that it tends to be defensive very quickly. These are areas that India has to focus onto if they want to push themselves up from being just No. 1 to being an Invincible No.1.
The 3rd and final test in Cape Town is the first test of 2011, a year in which India will be heading to the West Indies, England and Australia. India ended 2010 on a high note showing it relishes playing South Africa in South Africa, which was previously questioned as it’s most difficult task as a No. 1 team. All are waiting to see as to what the New Year is going to bring.
Tags: Anil Kumble, Cricket, Cricket India, India, Indian Cricket, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman, Zaheer Khan
