India v England - India’s joyride to the moon and back - Opinion
The recent years have been going exceptionally well for team India as in 2009 they became the number one team in Test cricket after defeating Sri Lanka in a series by 2-0 and then retaining their dominance throughout the next year where they played against
the likes of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746.
As if their number one standing in Test cricket was not enough, the team went on to win the International Cricket Council (http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747.
This was clearly the highest moment in the history of Indian cricket, however, after basking in glory for nearly three months the Indians were exposed to a bitter humiliation when http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c749 bashed the number one team in Test cricket in the four-match Test
series.
The Indians came into the series without preparation, hoping that things would fall there way once they landed in England, however, the hosts were all geared up to take on the Indians in a series that would leave the visitors wounded and low on self esteem.
The series had gained hype before the first match, however, not because of a possible bashing by the English team instead many were anticipating India’s master blaster http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SR-Tendulkar-c2556 to become the first man in the history of the game to score 100 centuries.
However, the Lord’s Test was an eye opener as it left the Indian fans in complete disarray after the tourists lost the match by 196 runs. In the second Test India failed again to impress as they lost by 319 runs at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.
With two defeats on a row, alarm bells rang in the Indian camp and they called in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/V-Sehwag-c2739, hoping that his inclusion in the team would help the squad stand against the English bowling attack.
However, Sehwag failed miserably has he could not score in both innings of the third Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham where the Indians lost by an innings and 242 runs. With three games down in the series, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 looked desperate to grab something positive from
the tournament, however, the Indians were destined to be doomed as they lost the final Test at Kennington Oval, London by an innings and eight runs.
India’s honeymoon is certainly over and now once the team reaches back home after the five-match One Day International (ODI) series steps will most probably be taken by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to help in bringing improvements in
the national squad.
Some players will have to face an axe from the team because of their lacklustre performance or due to their age. Time has finally arrived for the BCCI to inject young blood in the Indian side instead of depending on old players who are no longer fit enough
to bring glory to the national team.
What started as a journey of a lifetime for the Indian side has now had a nightmarish ending and the Indians need to restore their wounded pride by introducing radical changes in the coming months before they fall further down in the world rankings.
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