India and Pakistan today is all about the hype. And only about the hype. Because in cricketing terms, India has put together structures and processes and teams that operate at a completely different level from Pakistan.
Then came the boos at Trent Bridge. Followed by a one-year ban from the IPL. Followed by being abused by fans in the West Indies. His domestic triple hundreds were a cause for mirth, and his debut innings were mocked on ball by ball commentary.
The question remains whether this is the best Indian team in the last 15 years. The numbers say it is.
It never ceases to amuse me how, like clockwork, the rumour mills work overtime the moment the Indian team travels overseas. Fractures, rifts, dissent, factions, all of the usual suspects raise their heads the moment the Indian team boards the plane.
If India’s tryst with destiny has to manifest itself, very substantially, it could well begin with holding on to the catches in the slips.
Of three concurrent series being played, there still is neither coherence nor consistency with regards to the teams selected by the BCCI.
Plenty has been written about India’s series loss to England, both on mainstream and social media. From the issue of not having a stable number 4, to Kuldeep Yadav being “found out”, to Dhoni’s presence in the squad. A lot has been said, more will be surely, but a lot remains unsaid and unexplored.
