If we look at the concluding last two test matches of the India – England 2021 Series played at the Narendra Modi Stadium at Motera, Ahmedabad  – the first one being the pink ball day and night test played on 24th Feb, 2021 which lasted merely a couple of days, and the latter a regular day match (March 4-8) lasting only three days, the question comes to the mind– Is the Indian team in the pink of health? In both the tests, England suffered an embarrassing defeat – the first one ending in a matter of two days which must have given them the shock followed by a sinking feeling and the second one a natural dénouement of the psychological trauma wreaked on them during the first Motera match- with Axar and Ashwin the spinning duo making sure that the innings defeat will continue to harass the visitors in their nightmares exposing them to the horrors of the innocuous looking but deceitful spin. India created history by making the English team look like sitting ducks - concluding last two test matches in a matter of 5 days and winning the series 3-1. It is to be seen how the Western media will extricate the English team from the harrowing Ahmedabad experience and what euphemism they use to protect their stalwarts of the game. Of course, with this win India has secured their smooth entry into the World Cup Test Cricket Finals. The way India has beaten the so-called world beaters (Australia and England), we can predict the Indian team will continue to crush its opponents like a juggernaut in future as well.

After the crushing defeat in the first test in Australia in the recent test series played in Australia during December 2020, and the resulting low morale of the team, and the temporary exit or absence of star players like Virat Kohli and others in the following tests, the way the team rebounded under Ajinkya Rahane and took the series away from Australia scaling newer heights. The Indians completely swept the Aussies in their own ground much to the chagrin of the complacent hosts.

How this change has come about?  With the numero uno Virat Kohli back as captain in the India-England Series and the newer talents adding to the already existing pool of performers, India is at the pinnacle of World cricket. Having beaten and humbled the English team and awaiting the ODIs and T 20s, India feels confident because today there is no dearth of talent and skill in the country.

Let us examine what are the hall-marks of this transformation:

(a)  The team is now jelling and measuring up to the challenges that are being faced. The team synergy is showing.

(b) There is a change in the psyche of the cricketers. The way young Rishabh Pant dared to hit a six to get to his hundred in the last test shows the utter disregard for the “World Class English” bowlers. The manner in which Washington Sundar batted scoring an unbeaten 96 and the ease with which he negotiated the bouncers hurled at him, coming later in the batting line-up, shows the spirit of new India.

(c)  The opportunities being given to the aspiring cricketers in domestic cricket and especially the IPL has brought them face to face with the best exponents of the game. The hunger and aspiration to make it big on the international firmament has fired the imagination of the younger lot. No wonder the Ishan Kishans/ Surya Kumar Yadavs are coming out with record breaking feats and making the selectors think.

(d) The journey from test cricket to ODIs to 20-20s has really created formats to test every technique of a bowler or a batsman that can be deployed in the game. The positive mindset created by the challenges posed by the limited over cricket has also ensured that be it any format, the players want to get results and not merely settle for a tame draw.

As more and more talents keep pouring in, especially from smaller towns, the Indian cricket is now becoming the dream world of budding cricketers where you can look forward to creating name and fame besides a settled future. The young cricketers bedazzled by the recognition and remuneration of the cricketing world are competing with the best and trying to make their mark.

Indian cricket, surely, is in the pink of health.

The writer is Head – Corporate Affairs, Adani Power (Jharkhand) Limited.