Even beginning to imagine an Indian batting line up without the likes of Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Vangipurappu Venkata Sai Laxman for the first time since 1996 especially while ushering in an entirely new and cramped cricket season does indeed evoke a queer feeling in the pit of one's stomach.
The afore mentioned stalwarts not only scored Himalayanesque runs for team India, but more importantly succeeded in evoking a sense of self belief in their team mates and that sense of self belief enabled a team that was consistently written off both at home and abroad the wherewithal to start winning test matches if not series in alien conditions with nauseating regularity.
Well every era does indeed come to an end eventually and the golden era of Indian cricket has certainly come to an end with the retirement of these three stalwarts who provided us with fond memories that will certainly last us this lifetime and beyond; however as the cricketing cliche goes, the game has to go on and go on it must so what if these three gentlemen will no longer be around to provide manna from heaven to both your heart and soul.
Cheteshwar Pujara is indeed a replica of the irreplaceable Rahul Dravid and comes closest to him in terms of his single minded dedication, voracious appetite for runs and inherent ability to spend long hours at the crease wearing down and grinding out the opposition bowlers, indeed welcome attributes that any and every number three batsman worth his salt should possess.
What more can be said about that redoubtable Sachin Tendulkar who will willfully continue to man the number four mantle that he has done with distinction for the last two decades and more and Virat Kohli at number five only makes me salivate at the prospect of watching a virtuoso performance by the master and his unabashed disciple in tandem as Virat Kohli without a shadow of doubt established his test cricketing credentials on an otherwise disastrous tour to Australia earlier this year with a masterly century thereby underlining the fact that he is indeed the future and the bulwark of the Indian batting order for the next decade and a half or so.
The problem lies in creditably filling up or manning the number six position as India has failed to find a suitable replacement for the tough as nails Sourav Ganguly despite a good four and a half years having elapsed since he hung up his boots for good; as far as yours truly is concerned, he would certainly be more inclined towards seeing Subramaniam Badrinath occupying this crucial position by virtue of the very fact that he has scored a truckload more of runs than Suresh Raina at the first class level plays the short ball with a lot more aplomb and comfort than the afore mentioned individual, is as good if not a better fielder than his Chennai Super Kings counterpart and the cricketing logic behind picking him to make a comeback at the ripe old age of 32 will indeed be defeated if he is simply made to warm the benches.
Well all one can say in conclusion is good luck team India, may you annihilate the hapless Kiwis in your own backyard and do credit to the lingering memories of the dashing triumvirate who played an instrumental role in making the present team India what it is..........
The afore mentioned stalwarts not only scored Himalayanesque runs for team India, but more importantly succeeded in evoking a sense of self belief in their team mates and that sense of self belief enabled a team that was consistently written off both at home and abroad the wherewithal to start winning test matches if not series in alien conditions with nauseating regularity.
Well every era does indeed come to an end eventually and the golden era of Indian cricket has certainly come to an end with the retirement of these three stalwarts who provided us with fond memories that will certainly last us this lifetime and beyond; however as the cricketing cliche goes, the game has to go on and go on it must so what if these three gentlemen will no longer be around to provide manna from heaven to both your heart and soul.
Cheteshwar Pujara is indeed a replica of the irreplaceable Rahul Dravid and comes closest to him in terms of his single minded dedication, voracious appetite for runs and inherent ability to spend long hours at the crease wearing down and grinding out the opposition bowlers, indeed welcome attributes that any and every number three batsman worth his salt should possess.
What more can be said about that redoubtable Sachin Tendulkar who will willfully continue to man the number four mantle that he has done with distinction for the last two decades and more and Virat Kohli at number five only makes me salivate at the prospect of watching a virtuoso performance by the master and his unabashed disciple in tandem as Virat Kohli without a shadow of doubt established his test cricketing credentials on an otherwise disastrous tour to Australia earlier this year with a masterly century thereby underlining the fact that he is indeed the future and the bulwark of the Indian batting order for the next decade and a half or so.
The problem lies in creditably filling up or manning the number six position as India has failed to find a suitable replacement for the tough as nails Sourav Ganguly despite a good four and a half years having elapsed since he hung up his boots for good; as far as yours truly is concerned, he would certainly be more inclined towards seeing Subramaniam Badrinath occupying this crucial position by virtue of the very fact that he has scored a truckload more of runs than Suresh Raina at the first class level plays the short ball with a lot more aplomb and comfort than the afore mentioned individual, is as good if not a better fielder than his Chennai Super Kings counterpart and the cricketing logic behind picking him to make a comeback at the ripe old age of 32 will indeed be defeated if he is simply made to warm the benches.
Well all one can say in conclusion is good luck team India, may you annihilate the hapless Kiwis in your own backyard and do credit to the lingering memories of the dashing triumvirate who played an instrumental role in making the present team India what it is..........
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