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Back in my country India, the most discussed and debated question today, apart of course from who will be the next prime minister, is whether the present cricket team is the finest and indeed the world No. 1 in both Tests and one-dayers.
It is an unavoidable topic and almost inevitable following a comprehensive series victory against New Zealand in both Tests and one-dayers. Sachin Tendulkar rates it as the best one-day batting side, half the nation believe it's the best one-day side ever to have played for India while the other half say the same thing but in context to Test cricket.
There's a grain of truth in all three assumptions, yet none of the three can be conclusively proven given the stretch and scope of the canvas and the depth and breadth of the topic.
In Tests, the present team has played some exemplary cricket continuously and consistently. Victories over Australia, Pakistan and South Africa have been clear-cut and deserving but not as historic as the ones achieved by Ajit Wadekar's team in 1971 in the West Indies and in England the following year.
Even the 1974-75 team under Bishen Singh Bedi or Sunil Gavaskar's and Kapil Dev's in the mid-80s achieved unprecedented success at home and abroad. Sourav Ganguly's team in the dawn of the new millennium, on the other hand, was even more strong with the present batting trio of Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman at their prime along with the bowling prowess of experienced Javagal Srinath and Anil Kumble and a young Harbhajan Singh.
This only proves that the past has been as good as the present; but only in patches and not over a prolonged period to cement its greatness. Historic victories over the West Indies and England in the early 70s were marred by a single humiliating innings when India was bowled out for 42.
In the one-dayers, the World Cup triumph in 1983 turned into a tragedy the following series when the West Indies mercilessly thrashed India 5-0 and the ecstasy of making the 2003 World Cup final was in stark contrast to the agony of bowing out in the first round four years later.
This cycle has continued and even in New Zealand, where India was clearly a class apart, convincing victories in three of the first four one-dayers (the second one was washed out) was followed by a defeat in the fifth. In the Tests, India won the first with much to spare but could not provide the icing to the cake with another victory.
In fact, the team's performance in the third Test and the defensive captaincy of M S Dhoni came under much scrutiny. India just batted on and on in the second innings even when it was clear that rain was expected on the final day. It was inexplicable and in the end inexcusable.
The other glaring factor of the present team is its fielding, particularly in the Tests. A single dropped catch cost close to 150 runs in one Test and many more throughout the series raised the other extreme question - if it is the world's worst fielding side.
I can't think of the West Indies or the Australians, unarguably the best sides in the 70s and 80s and in the last two decades respectively, making such mistakes when they were at the summit of both Test and one-day cricket.
The hallmark of these two teams was their ability to bat, bowl and field with equal panache and pizzazz. They won from any position and won at any cost. They were ruthless and remarkably rigid in their pursuit for glory. That's what made them unbeatable and unstoppable.
India still have a long way to go in this context. The present team may be the best in terms of recent results, but I'm not sure if it's the best in the world.
One-day or Tests, the past has been as good as the present for India, but is the future perfect. Let's wait and see.
