The Surfer

Sourav Ganguly has done well to claw his way back into the team after a bitter falling out under the Greg Chappell regime. Ganguly may not be popular in Australia, but he is treated like a prince in India, loved and respected by the masses. He has announced that this is his last series and I wouldn't be surprised if V. V. S Laxman is heading down the same path. Rahul Dravid and the master, Sachin Tendulkar, are rapidly approaching the end as well. India must stagger their departures to avoid a mass exodus.

The frightening thing for world cricket is that India has some super talent - with both bat and ball - waiting in the wings. Make no mistake, the Board of Control for Cricket in India is the most powerful body in world cricket and its introduction of the hugely successful Indian Premier League earlier this year was a masterstroke. Not only was it a monumental financial windfall but, even more importantly, it exposed and unearthed young talent, albeit in the Twenty20 version of the game.

Two more Tests will tell whether there is a new world order in cricket, but it is already beyond dispute that India possesses the most exciting young fast bowler in the world. He comes from a working class family in Delhi - and still lives in the modest neighbourhood where he grew up despite his sudden wealth - and a country that has broken the hearts of many a paceman with its flat, spin-friendly wickets.

Six years ago the gangly youngster was "having fun" with his mates playing C grade for Sturt. Fast forward to January this year, and he was living every young boy's dream as an international cricketer. But it was fast becoming Tait's nightmare – he had started "hating it".

In the build-up to his first official series at the helm, ironically against the country of his birth, Kirsten revealed on his blog that he felt 'completely Indian'. After the Test series, which ended in a 1-1 draw, the man who still holds the record for the highest individual score for South Africa in one-day cricket, declared that he felt like his 'bloodline extended back for 100 years in India'. Ouch. For a South African fan, that's akin to swift kick in the groin.

For example, the Test team will contain some players who appear in Antigua and others who don't. How will a guy who's left out feel when the others start talking about the money they could make next November? The spirit of equality is one of the vital ingredients to a happy dressing room and this doesn't exactly feel equal to me. That crucial bond between players could come under threat.

Amit Mishra, who had taken wickets by the hatful in local and trial matches, not only did not make the shortlist, he was also told by Delhi selectors that he was surplus to requirements and did not have enough talent. Specific reasons weren’t given, except a point was made. It was suggested he “work on his weight if he wanted to play oonchi (top) cricket”... That Kotla day, he decided to pack his bags, leave the city of his birth and move to Haryana. And till that unexpected debut at the second India-Australia Test at Mohali, struggle was his glory, perseverance and indefatigability his allies, and shadows his home. Twice he came within a whisker of breaking down and quitting the game. And yet he couldn't, for as he said, he didn't know what he could do with those wrists and fingers other than tweak the ball. The last time he went into a depression was in 2005, when a shoulder injury curbed his potency.

Yesterday, it was Cricket Australia's turn to announce an IPL-style, "city-based, franchise-owned", involving New Zealand and South Africa. The players welcomed it. Two years ago, players' advocate Tim May condemned the ICC's expansion plan, warning of mass burn-out of players. But that was before the IPL and all its zeroes arrived. Now May thinks growth is good, even great.

Before a ball was bowled, it was Virender Sehwag, rather than any arriving Aussie, who forecast the result: “Either 3-1 or 3-0 to India.” Bangalore Man of the Match Zaheer Khan heckled the Aussies for not scoring quickly and being unable to take 20 wickets. In Mohali, Dhoni asked first slip Rahul Dravid to check out the scoreboard: Australia 22 off 13 overs.

Everyone is going to fancy a piece of them. Trouncing the Aussies did not look that hard. Previously, it has taken towering performances to bring them down. England took three years to prepare for the 2005 Ashes and another three to recover. Even so, Glenn McGrath did not play in a losing side in that series India won in 2001 but Shane Warne was half-fit besides while Rahul Dravid and V.V.S. Laxman built a miraculous partnership, and some of the umpiring at Eden Gardens was dodgy.

Tendulkar: I am always happy and never satisfied; I would say my favorite innings would be in 1992 against Australia when I scored 100 in Perth and that is when I felt that, yes, now I am here to play cricket anywhere in the world, any bowling attack I am confident enough to tackle them.