Jhakas | Sanjay Jha
In what they call the Mecca of cricket, the pristine, regal and magnificent stadium of Lord's, three Indian batsmen will step on it's hallowed green turf for the last time today. For Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid ( SRS), it will be a nostalgic moment. And one where several feelings will rule their sensibilities. Like the realisation that the next time they come here they will be seated in the stands like any other visitor, in a suit and tie perhaps, commenting at best from an ivory glass tower. Or quite simply networking with the old boys. Reminiscing times gone by.
Three batsmen who have been the bulwark of Indian cricket will soon belong to pages in history. 30000 odd runs between the. Records aplenty. But for the moment there is a job to be done. The First Test against England commencing on the traditional Thursday is an acid test, as well, as this journey to the Big Ben could well clock India's emerging confidence as the nation of the future. Continue reading below
There are many who believe that history is against India, going by past records and our recent skirmishes with fading glory, while England is being positioned as a front-runner favorite of sorts. Nothing can be further from the truth. Frankly, in sports, history can be a misleading gauge to predict on which head will the crown rest.
In 1971 Ajit Wadekar's Wonders created magic and a curly haired mild-mannered Bangalore-leg spinner by the name of Bhagwat Chandrasekhar played truant with English batsmen, tricking them with casual insouciance with his crafty 6 for 38.
They returned to a cavalcade and joyous roadside celebrations. Yet just three years later, at the famous Lord's no less, the Indians catapulted in a catastrophic collapse, amassing 42 runs. Wadekar's house was pelted with stones and pebbles of varying dimensions.
The fact that we last won a series against England in 1986 is as meaningless in today's context as Indian tourists having to wait hours to smuggle a scotch whisky bottle in between wrapped clothes surreptitiously when returning from the once-in a-lifetime trip to the land of their former rulers.
A lot of water has flown under the bridge since then. India has won the World Cup, England has not. And Goldman Sachs has predicted that the Indian economy will overtake their British counterpart in 10-15 years. And the Leeds University has granted a doctorate to Bollywood starlet Shilpa Shetty. And a certain SRK will draw bigger crowds than Tom Cruise. Rahul Dravid should remember these facts as he goes for the toss. And when the crowds scream at Andrew Strauss's dismissal, he will feel in closer proximity to the KSCA stadium.
England will surely have the advantage of not experiencing the sweltering heat of a Nagpur summer, and they can very well have their scones, poached eggs and fried fish and chips. Although the English team usually performs with such frenetic pendulum shifts, their vicissitudes of good fortune on the cricket field keeping in tandem, it must be admitted that of late, they seem less inclined to commit their congenital hara-kiri propensities. So a tougher contest can perhaps play out.
The absence of Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harminson, who between them burnt the Aussies into ashes a few seasons ago, will be hardly felt by the Indian batsmen. How England handle their depleted arsenal, with even Mathew Hoggard joining the torn limb brigade (not to forget the perpetually plastered Simon Jones) is Michael Vaughan's anxiety.
Rahul Dravid needs to ruthlessly exploit English vulnerabilities, rubbing bucketful of salt in their open wounds. The bowling injury problems means less collateral damage, and the scales tilt appreciably on one-side. India's. Monty Panesar, despite his new-found success, will find Indian batsmen likes the hard rocks of Chambal, and not the soft sands of St Kitt's.
In the absence of the usual firepower some bowler will emerge to take the wickets, but I do not see a Ryan Sidebottom or Jimmy Anderson repeatedly threatening the sturdy Indians who are I think, for the first time in a long while,looking hungry to get on to the field. The expectations of them are low, TRP ratings have dwindled, sponsors have pussy-footed around, and there is none of the usually associated madness that accompanies them like hand-baggage everywhere. It should suit the Indians well.
The India Rahul Dravid leads has certain youngsters who have grown in a country where the yesteryear inferiority complex did not exist for them. They have seen an India, which is aggressive, tough, uncompromising, hardworking and yet humble, modest and adaptive. Today the Indian cricketers represent not just their sporting excellence but a pulse of a country which is redefining the future world-order, in both economic and political power.
They are the brand ambassadors of Incredible India, a new resurgent vibrant country, taking tall strides with majestic confidence. It is that confidence and self-belief that will determine India's success on this tour.
Chicken tikka masala is now the favorite dish in the English palate. It is time Dravid and his boys got ready to order one.
(Watch CNN-IBN live on your iPad. IBN7 and IBN Lokmat too. Download the IBNLive for iPad app. It's free. Click here to download now)
