Numero Uno …..finally !!

So finally we have conquered the summit. MSD & his boys have finally achieved, what we all have been dreaming for years…… 77 years since India started her foray into cricket, we have accomplished the goal. India reigns the no 1 slot in test cricket, toppling the mighty Aussies & the ever daunting Proteas.

The midas touch of Dhoni continues to bring in laurels after laurels for Team India. With the Lankans biting dust, & India winning the test series 2-0, we have finally reached the top of the ICC test rankings.

A simple look at the team shows that it has been combining extremely well & the hunger to achieve has been palpable. In batting, right on top Sehwag has been murderous, scoring runs with elan & at a pace that puts even the one dayer records to the sword. Coming back from injury, he has just torn the Lankan attack to shreds, scoring at a strike rate of more than 100. Keeping him able company has been Gautam Gambhir, scoring runs at will. He has been the run machine, carving out centuries at will. Coming at one down, old war horse Rahul, seems to have regained his Wall status. Next in Tendulkar is only getting younger, with an unbelievable hunger to plunder centuries even at this age. With Laxman, Dhoni, Yuvi following next, the runs just keep piling on, relentlessly. In attack, Zaheer spearheading the opening bowling along with Sreshanth & Ishant, & Bhajji & Pragyan Ojha with the spin, the opposition has just no time to breathe. In short, Team India looked good throughout the series to capture the Numero Uno status.

The team that has a wonderful blend of youth & experience, however must owe it to the nucleus building that was done by Saurav Ganguly & John Wright, when they took up the reins in 1999-2000, at a time when the ghosts of match fixing scandals had taken the team spirit & performance to its nadir. They had scouted for talent & believed in the capabilities of the rookies who are now the mainstay of the team. Though the controversial stint of Chappel along with Rahul Dravid, in between, had taken the team performance to the pits, it came back strongly under Kumble & Kirtsen. Dhoni could not have asked for a better platform to take on the Captain’s responsibility, & has only gone from strength to strength.

Lets regale in glory, as a nation. We have finally fulfilled the dream …..No 1 team in the world.