We Took One Step Back while Others Took Four!

We Took One Step Back while Others Took Four!

Indian cricket team is achieving one milestone after other and is on verge of becoming the undisputed champions in all formats of the game. But, are we really marching ahead?? or the opposition are going backwards at a faster rate than us??-definitely a point to ponder.

The two teams which dominated the game of cricket were West Indian team in late 70's and early 80's and the  Australian team from late 90's for over a decades time. These teams had the best batting lineup coupled with amazing bowlers and all-rounders. They had an intensity which no teams of their time could challenge. Their mere presence would demotivate the opposition. Most of time, the matches were lost before they were actually played!!

The West Indies side had the likes of Sir Viv Richards, Clive Lloyd, Sir Sobers etc who clearly dominated the opposition. Their bowling attack was equally fearsome with the likes of Micheal Holding, Garner, Andy Roberts, Wayne Daniel and Malcolm Marshall. The Australian side which dominated world cricket had the likes of Hayden, Gilchrist, Mark and Steve Waugh, Ponting, Warne, McGrath, etc.

The Indian team which regrouped itself post match-fixing episode had a sheer determination to excel and defeat the mighty Aussie. The team had the legends like Sachin, Saurav, Dravid, Kumble, Srinath, Laxman, etc. along with youngsters such as Sehwag, Zaheer, Harbhajan, and Yuvraj who tried their best to rule the world cricket. Despite of the fact that they managed to defeat the mighty Aussie in many occasions, they failed to get the numero-uno status and were always rated second.

The current Indian squad has won t20 world cup, ODI world cup and was also the best test team for a brief period of time. Dhoni has ably led the team to great heights, thereby achieving one milestone after another. However, the current Indian side hardly has any strong opposition with the caliber of legendary West Indian team of 70's and Australian team of late 90's. The Aussie side has lost all its iconic players and are repeatedly losing Ashes which was a distant possibility in the past. Despite having good players, the West Indian side is also failing to perform as a team. The current Indian side also faces Pakistan without the likes of Akram and Waqar, Sri Lanka without the likes of Jayasurya and Muruli, and South Africa without the likes of Klusener and Cronje and Kirsten.

Indian team has limited world class players such as Dhoni, Yuvraj, and Kohli but is incomplete compared to the team with fab four along with Sehwag. The Indian test team of the last decade had the best batting lineup along with the famous spin twins. The current side neither has a genuine spinner who can win matches abroad like JUMBO nor batsmen with the temperament of the WALL. But as a team we are still the best, because we might have taken one step back but others have taken four!!