JUNE 4, 2021
The history of cricket has always been defined in eras. And when it comes to describing eras, not two are more renowned than the ones which West Indies and Australia dominated during their peak. A stark contrast to how the team is performing now, West Indies were ruthless in their approach in the 1970s and most part of the 1980.
They won the first two editions of the World Cup in 1975 and 1979 and reached the final of the 1983. With world-class batsmen and fearsome fast bowlers, the era of the mighty West Indies of the 1970s and 80s was one that has never been replicated.
Likewise, Australia played a similar brand of cricket during the 1990s until 2010. Twice they went on a 16-match winning streak in Test matches and swept three consecutive ICC World Cups in 1999, 2003 and 2007, while winning the 2006 Champions Trophy in India. West Indies in the 70s and 80s and Australia in the 90s and 2000s – no team has been able to dish out the same kind of dominance.
Currently, the Indian cricket team perhaps comes the closest to replicating that kind of supremacy. Former England fast bowler Darren Gough mentioned not too long ago that the mentality of this current Indian team is that of Australia in the 1990s, but with the team having not won an ICC Trophy since 2013, there may be a few concerns.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar feels that while the current Indian team is extremely talented and proven themselves to be world-beaters, it may be early to put it in the same bracket as the mighty West Indies and Australia. And here’s why.
“I’m not too sure they’ll be able to dominate like West Indies did. They were winning all five Test matches, even Australian were, winning four out of five. I’m not too sure if this Indian team can do that because of the fact that while they are actually a supremely talented team, there are at times inconsistencies that you see. That is the only thing that makes me hold my breath a little bit. But as far as the potential of this team is concerned, I think sky is the limit,” Gavaskar said on The Cricket Analyst Show on YouTube.
Indian cricket has been performing splendidly over the last few years. They registered back-to-back Test series win in Australia, while playing out of their skins against England at home recently to book their ticket to the final of the World Test Championships. Gavaskar realizes the tremendous potential that the current Indian team has under Virat Kohli, but perhaps right now may be the best time to put it in the same pedestal as the Windies and the Australians.
“Clearly, in a game of cricket, not all 11 can success. But if four of them can – two batsmen and two bowlers… then you’re winning more games. And that is what this Indian team certainly is capable of,” the former India captain added.
Courtesy/Source: Hindustan Times
