The final frontier II

The magic of Mohali will be permanently inscribed in the memory cells of all Indian cricket fans. The once unassailable Oz were packed off so disdainfully, it seemed like the script-writer had a rude sadistic tinge. The Indian victory of a huge 320 runs looked miniscule if that statistic was compared with the immeasurable , inexorable throttle with which India quashed any Aussie hope of a miraculous resurrection. It was a solid exhibition of brutal dominance, the kind of Mike Tyson knock-out punch we have got so conditioned to watching Ricky Ponting’s men do to the others, for heaven knows how long?

Already there is wild speculation as I write this column , that this sub-continental trip could have the ” Lehman Brothers ” effect ( sorry Darryl) on the Aussie team—- of course, the melt-down will be more gradual than grand, but looks inevitable. The Australians are clearly looking exhausted with carrying the onerous burden of the champion tag ; it is not easy being a Roger Federer, where even a slight over-hit is more debated than a blistering ace-serve down the middle. They have accentuated their own miseries by dropping Andrew Symonds for frying fish, which looked to me to be pursuing trivial matters in troubled waters . Especially, when you are not just without Glen McGrath and Shane Warne , but also a wonder called Adam Gilchrist. It has upset their team balance somewhat, because Shane Watson lacks both Symond’s locks , love for Harbhajan Singh and destructiveness. But I think the real story is not that the Australians are weak, but that the Indians have got better.

If you forget that Lankan nightmare of a few months ago , the Aussies and Indians have had some real great tussles in white uniform. Also remember that in the fateful series where the Final Frontier collapsed under Gilchrist’s captaincy, the Aussies had a narrow escape in the Chennai Test , thanks to the rain gods. That match evidently favored India. In Nagpur we had played hosts to magnificent perfection and offered them a green tree-top. In Mumbai, of course, we redefined spin selling . So the truth is that there is nothing unusual about Australians struggling in India ; this is in keeping with historical practise. But the impact factor right now is the collective resurgence of the Indians.

I attribute India’s resounding triumph and ascension on two factors; there is the much-harangued old guard that is playing out of their skin to go out in resplendent glory. And there is that other lot that is wanting to establish itself , unencumbered by past baggage, free from any scar of defeat, having no experience of Australian mauling over years. They do not understand failure. For Ishant Sharma , the Aussie skipper is best bunny, and he does not yet know what it means to lose to Australia with monotonous regularity. Neither does Amit Mishra. Or for that matter MS Dhoni. They care a dry fig. That’s why the stand-in-captain is a fearless, intrepid guy; for him the Australians are a great team , but hey, right now we are even. It’s a new battle-ground. A new day.

Of course, the Australians will fight back. But it is up to India now to attack the garrisons. Climb the bridges. Set up the vanguards. Get ready for assault. The Final Frontier can be re-captured. But the battle for the same may have just begun.