From also-rans to a cricketing powerhouse. That's the path India has taken in the World Cup. As one who has been witness to one day cricket’s earliest days when the Indian team were plainly uncomfortable in the sport's new format I sometimes marvel at how they have progressed over the last three decades. Not only have the Indians won the World Cup and added the World Championship of Cricket title in Australia a couple of years later they are recognized as one of the leading combinations in the limited overs game with a record to match and their present ICC ranking of No 2 is well deserved.
And yet as I said it wasn't always like this. India were slow to embrace the one day game and in the 70s the team was one of the whipping boys in international cricket. The fact that in the first two World Cup competitions they won just one game - and that against lowly East Africa - best illustrates this. Test cricket was still very much the name of the game and was well patronized in this country and the players too found it difficult to get out of the five day game into the one day mode.
Things started to change for the better in the early 80s. A notable series triumph at home over England in 1981-82 and a famous win over the West India at Berbice in March 1983 made cricket fans sit up and take notice of the team's performances in the shorter version of the game. But it was the unexpectedly glorious World Cup triumph that saw one day cricket really gain a following in this country. The victory 'Down Under' in 1985 strengthened the fan base and very soon even as Test matches were played before dwindling crowds spectators thronged to see ODIs.
With greater experience the Indian players kept improving and soon took their place among the leading combinations in the game. From the 80s through the 90s and into the new millennium Indian cricketers notched up a number of records but there was no repeat of the feat notched up by Kapil's Devils. I well remember how India and Pakistan were the co-favourites for the 1987 World Cup held in the sub continent. But even as the stage (Eden Gardens) was decorated and ready 'the groom and bride' as it was said were missing with the co-hosts beaten in the semifinals. In 1992 the Indians having been mauled 4-0 by Australia in the Test series followed by defeat in the one day competition were never really in contention. But hope returned when India were again co-hosts four years later. Again the team flattered only to deceive being knocked out in the semifinals. The media hype around the team's chances in 1999 was clearly over the top and this time the challenge ground to a halt at the Super Six stage.
Having been outclassed in New Zealand just before their World Cup campaign commenced in 2003 the Indians were given little chance of progressing beyond the Super Six. But after a limp start they raised the level of their game and made it as far as the title round where they were outplayed by Australia. And as every Indian cricket fan knows all too painfully the campaign in 2007 was a disastrous one with the team being eliminated at the preliminary stage following losses to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. There was much ill feeling amidst which the coach Greg Chappell was sacked and the shock waves were felt loud and long.
So what's it going to be this time round? Will 1983 finally be repeated? Despite what happened four years ago in the Caribbean it can safely be predicted that Dhoni's men should make it to the last eight after coming smoothly through their group. With the knock out format taking over after that it is a question of which team is more adept at holding their nerves and playing better on that day. From then on it is almost a lottery and from what happened in 1996 - the last time such a format was followed - it is clear that little things could mean a lot in the final analysis. Remember South Africa hot favourites as the knock out stage commenced following their all win record in the group matches coming a cropper against West Indies in the quarterfinal and the West Indies then themselves going down to Australia in the penultimate round after having the match well in their grasp? One wouldn't be surprised if a similar scenario is seen this time around too.
And yet as I said it wasn't always like this. India were slow to embrace the one day game and in the 70s the team was one of the whipping boys in international cricket. The fact that in the first two World Cup competitions they won just one game - and that against lowly East Africa - best illustrates this. Test cricket was still very much the name of the game and was well patronized in this country and the players too found it difficult to get out of the five day game into the one day mode.
Things started to change for the better in the early 80s. A notable series triumph at home over England in 1981-82 and a famous win over the West India at Berbice in March 1983 made cricket fans sit up and take notice of the team's performances in the shorter version of the game. But it was the unexpectedly glorious World Cup triumph that saw one day cricket really gain a following in this country. The victory 'Down Under' in 1985 strengthened the fan base and very soon even as Test matches were played before dwindling crowds spectators thronged to see ODIs.
With greater experience the Indian players kept improving and soon took their place among the leading combinations in the game. From the 80s through the 90s and into the new millennium Indian cricketers notched up a number of records but there was no repeat of the feat notched up by Kapil's Devils. I well remember how India and Pakistan were the co-favourites for the 1987 World Cup held in the sub continent. But even as the stage (Eden Gardens) was decorated and ready 'the groom and bride' as it was said were missing with the co-hosts beaten in the semifinals. In 1992 the Indians having been mauled 4-0 by Australia in the Test series followed by defeat in the one day competition were never really in contention. But hope returned when India were again co-hosts four years later. Again the team flattered only to deceive being knocked out in the semifinals. The media hype around the team's chances in 1999 was clearly over the top and this time the challenge ground to a halt at the Super Six stage.
Having been outclassed in New Zealand just before their World Cup campaign commenced in 2003 the Indians were given little chance of progressing beyond the Super Six. But after a limp start they raised the level of their game and made it as far as the title round where they were outplayed by Australia. And as every Indian cricket fan knows all too painfully the campaign in 2007 was a disastrous one with the team being eliminated at the preliminary stage following losses to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. There was much ill feeling amidst which the coach Greg Chappell was sacked and the shock waves were felt loud and long.
So what's it going to be this time round? Will 1983 finally be repeated? Despite what happened four years ago in the Caribbean it can safely be predicted that Dhoni's men should make it to the last eight after coming smoothly through their group. With the knock out format taking over after that it is a question of which team is more adept at holding their nerves and playing better on that day. From then on it is almost a lottery and from what happened in 1996 - the last time such a format was followed - it is clear that little things could mean a lot in the final analysis. Remember South Africa hot favourites as the knock out stage commenced following their all win record in the group matches coming a cropper against West Indies in the quarterfinal and the West Indies then themselves going down to Australia in the penultimate round after having the match well in their grasp? One wouldn't be surprised if a similar scenario is seen this time around too.
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