Not the ODI World Cup 83' or the Twenty 20 World Cup 07' or the many ODI and Test series wins. This is the apotheosis of all the things that are revered as Cricket in India – Number One status in Tests.
Believe me, this is what is called tryst for a nation which joined the cricketing fraternity at Lord’s in 1932, and then assimilated the game as seamlessly as a leaf blends the falling dew. It has been a long walk, 77 years to be precise. But the road has witnessed each and every aspect of Indian life reflected in the simulacrum of Indian Cricket. We started under the captaincy of Lala Amarnath, rolled out the two fastest bowlers till date – Amar Singh and Mohd Nissar, cultured the batsman ship of CK Nayudu, brewed the Vijays – Merchant, Hazare and Manjrekar, moved to Pataudi and the quartet of spinners, sprung the geniuses of Gavaskar and Kapil, catapulted the might of Tendulkar, metamorphosed into the gall of Ganguly, serenaded the batting Fantastic Four, and then finally were crowned the diadem of Dhoni and company. It has indeed been a bloody long walk.
Not long ago, about a decade back, I was driven to tears on each falling performance of the team. How I yearned for them, how I watched them with belief in my eyes, how I hoped for them even then they were collared by each and every team of the world. Away wins were nil, the batsmen only home-pitches fowlers, the bowlers non-mentionables, the whole system in fact full of fancy but bereft of result. How I hankered then, could we be the Number One ever?
I again have grown misty-eyed. This time choked by the emotion of that cricket-crazy kid and teenager. Nothing can describe the moment for me. For many reasons, the Number One ranking may slip sooner than later, and may not even arrive again. The ranking itself may be farcical, but nothing can take away this moment of success. It is the moment of salvation of all those pleas and prayers for the better times to come. Sure they have come. And the times will only get even better. Believe you me!
