WELCOME TO BHARAT, BARMY ARMY
'Why India-England matters
 |
| England captain Alastair Cook with Coach Andy Flower. |
The Three Lions have landed in Mumbai. Almost 14 months
after inflicting an almost physically painful defeat on India. And as an ardent
fan of the longest version of the game, I am so excited for this Test series to
begin, it is bordering on obscene.
A lot of water (and tears) has passed under the bridge since
that fateful summer when England not only whitewashed India 4-0, but also
snatched away the No. 1 Ranking (Of course karma set the record straight here
later!) India has changed no wait it has transformed. Two of our best batsmen have
left, the third is on the threshold, the No. 1 spinner is no longer a certainty
and a youngster has taken over the role. The opening batsmen’s capabilities are
being questioned and the opening bowlers are lack lethality. The batting order
isn’t set, the captain is in misery, the fielding looks mediocre. England too
has had their own share of the roller-coaster. Talismanic captain Andrew
Strauss has left, leaving the reins of a volatile team to Alastair Cook. KPgate
has created an unreasonable stir fanned by Coach Flower. And they are no longer
the best Test team in the world (according to rankings) BUT, this is
irrespective, irrelevant, immaterial. All that matters is that there is an
India vs England 4-Test series happening soon!
I do not want to see this as a revenge series or a chance to
get payback England. I do not want to see this as Sachin Tendulkar’s last
series (possibly). I do want to see this as a baptism by fire for Captain Cook.
I do not want to see this as Pietersen’s re-integration series. I want to see
this, only and only as a comprehensive Test series between two capable, former
World No. 1 Test sides. I want to see this as an endorsement for what good Test
cricket should be. I want to see this as a turning point for the Indian cricket
team. So it doesn’t matter if it isn't a 4-0 whitewash (although this score
line will make a billion people ecstatic), it doesn’t matter if England combat
spin with their bat and go on to score big or India crumble to Swann and Panesar, it doesn't even matter if it is a drawn series. As long as cricket
fans world over get to watch a thoroughly entertaining and enlightening Test
series. Indian cricket needs a pivotal Test series against a good team, and I
hope this series can fill this void.
Personally as well this series is important to me. I hope to
start blogging regularly again throughout this series (of course I also hope to
meet Kevin Pietersen or interview Alastair Cook or alter the backward,
stereotyped mind of Steve Finn, but that’s another story) But most important I
hope to go to the Wankhede Cricket Stadium and watch five days of pure,
unadulterated Test cricket with the North Stand Gang. And a Kohli/KP century,
Zaheer Khan fifer or Viru-Gauti shutting the critics mouths would be an added
bonus!
But the biggest hope I have from this series is to see some
semblance of positivity to return to most Indian cricket fans. The negative
attitude (on twitter and otherwise) that I have seen towards the team & most
players is disheartening. It is justified in some measure, there have been
performances that no one can be proud of and there has been a phase even the staunchest
fan would be tempted to give up. But true Indian cricket fans are those who got
up on the morning of the Adelaide 2012 Test believing we could turn a 7-0 deficit
and win this one. And I am one of them. So here is hoping that when England and
India take the field at Ahmadabad, we see five such days of cricket that the
faith in the Indian team and belief in good Test cricket returns. Welcome to
Bharat, Barmy Army!
