Turning Points: Indian Cricket

16th November 2013 will be remembered as one of the most momentous day for Indian Cricket, a day of both joy and sadness, of hope and agony. It witnessed history in making, the end of unforgettable era of Sachin Tendulkar, India's second consecutive innings victory over W. Indies, six test victories in a row, mesmerizing spell of Ojha and Ashwin and Sachin becoming the youngest person to be awarded Bharat Ratna. It has been a day of mixed feelings; a day charged with high emotions and will continue to be talked about in the days to come.

While 16th November, 2013 will definitely be a watershed in Indian Cricket, I find it tempting to go back to the past and try to find some major turning points in Indian Cricket in its march till date. The first major break through Indian Cricket got was when India got the status of a test playing team with its Test debut at Lords against England way back in 1932. Till that time India was hardly recognised in the International cricket though Indian teams did make some unofficial trips to England prior to 1932 to play some county matches. The next year saw Lala Amarnath becoming the first Indian to score a century in a Test match. Although Ranjitsinhjee and Duleepsinhjee two outstanding batsmen of their times scored centuries in Tests before Amarnath scored his century, their names will not be found in the annals of Indian Test Cricket as both of them played for England and not India.

!959-60 home series against Australia was a major watershed as in the second Test that series India’s Jasu Patel almost single handed demolished the then invincible team of Richie Benaud’s Australia and gave India an almost unimaginable victory. Between 1932 and 1959 though India did record some Test victories against the minions of the cricket during the period like New Zealand, Pakistan and a totally depleted English team, Indian team was never a serious a challenger to countries like England, Australia and West Indies. Jasu Patel’s achievement demonstrated that India can also pose a serious challenge to the high and mighties of cricket. Though in the subsequent years for a long time India’s performance continues to be dismal, the Indian fans could at least start dreaming of India’s victory even against strong teams.

The emergence of Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi as captain of Indian team was another turning point in Indian Cricket. Pataudi apart from being a great batsman of his time proved himself to be a great captain, a leader who could lead from the front, motivate the team by his own example of playing fearlessly against the best of the bowling attack even with the severe handicap of playing with only one eye.

The emergence of Sunil Gavaskar in 1971 was a major landmark in Indian Cricket. Although India did have some great batsmen in the past, Gavaskar was probably the first Indian batsman who showed infinite appetite for runs and was not happy unlike his predecessors with few brilliant performances here and there and in the process went on to amass runs in such a way that records which were considered to be the sole preserves of English and Australian players got broken by him. He became the first cricketer to score 10000 runs in Test cricket and also surpassed the once thought unbeatable record of 29 Test centuries of Don Bradman.

The emergence of spin quartet of Prasanna, Bedi, Venkataraghavan and Chandrasekhar was yet another turning point giving the much needed teeth to the bowling of the Indian team.

The appearance of Kapil Dev on the Indian cricket horizon as a genuine fast bowler and world class all rounder was yet another turning point of Indian cricket. India’s lifting of the World Cup under his leadership was one of the most memorable events of Indian Cricket.

Sourav Ganguly’s taking over the mantle of leadership of the Indian team greatly changed the attitude of the players of the team. He was able to mould the players into a winning team, a team that was not satisfied with any thing less than an outright victory. M.S. Dhoni the present captain of the team is a cool and calculated leader who like Sourav believes in winning matches for India and has been able to lead India to victory in all major International cricket events.

But before Sourav or Dhoni it was Sachin Tendulkar’s appearance in Karachi Test way back in 1989 the most important turning points of Indian Cricket as never before any Indian batsman apart from Gavaskar could dominate the batting department as Sachin did in the years that followed. Sachin Tendulkar though physically not a tall person strode the cricketing world like a colossus. He went on to break almost all the records in batting in all formats of the game. His batting statistics is awesome, his consistency was incredible, his commitment to the game was exemplary, and his dedication was total.

The void that was created in Indian cricket with the retirement of Gavaskar was quickly filled in with Sachin stepping in. Now we have to wait and see whether the void created with Sachin bowing out will ever be filled and if it is at all filled when and who will do this. That day will be yet another great turning point of Indian cricket.