India treads a new path

India’s path to the top of the ICC points tally has brought joy to a land teeming with cricket fanatics. This journey has not been a cake walk. It has been a cumulative effort that began two years ago, post Guru Greg.

The comprehensive series victory against Sri Lanka last week has allowed Dhoni’s well-knit unit to push themselves to the top of the ladder, though their stay there could be compromised, thanks to the Future Tours Programme (FTP).

India at present has 124 points with South Africa an arm’s length away from catching up to the leader’s meager two-point lead. The cash hungry Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has mindfully scheduled enough one-day matches to fill their coffers. While top test teams like Australia and South Africa play atleast four test matches in 2010, India is scheduled to play just two against Bangladesh. “It is a bit of a concern, as we play only two Test matches in the next six months, so it will be tough for us to maintain the position”, said Dhoni when asked about his views.

India’s improvement is largely because of its brilliant performances overseas. From 2000, India has excelled in its away series compared to its manner of play in the preceding decade. In 2000s they won 19 matches abroad and also lost as many. But in the 1990s, of the 39 matches India played, they won just one and lost 15.

India's decade-wise win-loss record overseas
Period	Tests	Won	Lost	W-L ratio
1960s	16	3	13	0.23
1970s	30	6	12	0.50
1980s	39	3	12	0.25
1990s	39	1	15	0.06
2000s	56	19	19	1.0

India's decade-wise win-loss record at home
Period	Tests	Won	Loss	W-L ratio
1960s	36	6	8	0.75
1970s	34	11	7	1.57
1980s	42	8	9	0.88
1990s	30	17	5	3.40
2000s	47	21	8	2.6

statistics: cricinfo.com

The era of McGraths, Warnes and Gilchrists saw the Aussies rising and cementing their position at the top. This decade saw Steve Waugh’s bunch contributing to the cause of Aussie supremacy. The reasons behind their success were manifold and not superstar individuals. On the contrary, India during this decade had two stalwarts in Test cricket, Tendulkar and Dravid, in a team of 11. Although Anil Kumble was a force to reckon with on sub-continental conditions, his potency overseas was starkly diminished.Again, Australia stayed No.1 on the rankings for such an incredible length of time because they gave themselves a chance by playing plenty of Test matches. 2010 alone will see them play at least eight test matches.

While M.S.Dhoni collects all the accolades for this exemplary performance, there are individuals who have to be given due credit. Saurav Ganguly’s gutsy and driven captaincy acted as a catalyst for players like Yuvraj Singh and Harbajan Singh who were, if not for Ganguly, out of contention for disciplinary or other cricket-worthy reasons. He turned the morale of the team around during the home series against Australia in 2001-02 at a time when match fixing scandals were felling cricketing greats.Rahul Dravid quietly led the team to a series victory in the West Indies after 35 years and Kumble’s determination and gumption led to India defeating Australia in 2008 in an ill-conceived series.

In all this there has been only one consistency. Sachin Tendulkar has been there, as though in a time warp. Everything, including the game, has changed, but he remains as a frame captured within that image of a 16-year-old schoolboy. After 20 years of scintillating and record breaking cricket, he deserves to be here.

This team is a mix of youth and experience. They have set out on a journey that will be hard to sustain. But sustain they must, through sheer dedication. After all, the journey to the top begins with a single step.