Diamonds and rust

Crash out of one world event, storm to victory in another; fumble over the appointment of a coach, win a rare Test series in England; get flustered after one player resigns from captaincy and another refuses the job, revel in the newly appointed captain, dominating Pakistan in the process; panic after an informal league lures domestic players, watch the closest Ranji Trophy league round in recent memory.

Rarely did a day go by in 2007 without Indian cricket throwing up something or the other. If it was an unnamed member of the team management leaking news at the start of the year, an unnamed selector was doing the same by the end of it. If none of the board officials made the headlines, there was always Sreesanth.

Scratch the turbulent surface, though, and you have one of India's most successful years. The year began with them squandering a series-winning opportunity in Cape Town and ended with a thrashing in Melbourne, but India made up with a couple of series wins against England and Pakistan in between - one after 21 years, the other after 27. Throw in a win in the World Twenty20 and you had a year to look back on fondly.

If India rose steadily in Tests, in limited-overs cricket they oscillated from the pathetic to the inspirational. If they could do nothing right against Bangladesh in the World Cup opener, they were unstoppable against Australia in the World Twenty20 semi-final. When India won an ODI, it was usually owing to Sachin Tendulkar. Whether it was his 76-ball 100 in Vadodara that sealed the series against West Indies, or the twin 90s against South Africa in Belfast, or his magical 94 that helped level the series at The Oval, or even his uplifting 97 against Pakistan in Gwalior, he was the guiding force. His only weakness? Falling in the nineties.

He was far quieter in the Test arena, preferring the path of least risk. Eclipsing him were two contrasting batsmen: the languid Wasim Jaffer and the enigmatic Sourav Ganguly. Jaffer's efficient run-scoring underlined his coming of age as a batsman over the last couple of years, but it was Ganguly who made for the poignant story. Banished into exile a little over a year ago, he returned to conquer, batting better than he had ever done before. A number of moments stand out but his towering double-hundred in Bangalore will be talked about the longest.

India went through much of the year without a coach. Greg Chappell resigned after the World Cup debacle and the board didn't think it was urgent to appoint someone on a long-term basis. Ravi Shastri, Chandu Borde and Lalchand Rajput handled the responsibilities over different series before Gary Kirsten was finally handed a two-year contract.

Captains changed too. Rahul Dravid relinquished the job after the England series and the selectors gave Mahendra Singh Dhoni the responsibility in the shorter formats. Anil Kumble was handed the reins for the longer version, though the appointment was likely to last only a couple of series at the most.

High point
The final of the World Twenty20 against Pakistan will top the list. India's first victory on the world stage for 22 years was engineered by a bunch of rookies who started without much of a chance. Dhoni was leading a group of unknowns, but they turned in one fearless performance after another to strike gold. The Test series win in England must come a close second.

Low point
The first-round exit from the World Cup. India were outclassed by Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and never looked good enough to mix it with the best. A bunch of ageing stars dawdled in the field, and a helpless captain and garrulous coach bungled at the top.

Several shenanigans of the board will vie for a close second.

New kids on the block
A number of promising stars were part of the World Twenty20 squad. Rohit Sharma and Robin Uthappa shone bright but it was probably RP Singh who emerged the strongest, going from a second-change bowler to a new-ball exponent. He was probably India's most consistent bowler in England, and began the New Year leading the attack.

What does 2008 hold?
There's no doubt that a number of voids will open up. With Dravid, Ganguly, Laxman, Tendulkar, and Kumble nearing the end of their careers, India could be in for a serious depletion. The challenge would be to phase these players out gradually, blooding new talent at the right time and making sure the boat isn't rocked too hard. It may turn out to be the most challenging task yet.