Lessons from down under

For a team to dominate as Australia have done this century, and West Indies before them late last century, it takes full commitment to excellence from all concerned. Laziness and bad thinking will bring a team back to earth more quickly than anything that the opposition can conjure up.

Key players such as Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting have been critical to achieving that level of success but it is the 'lesser lights' such as Justin Langer, Damien Martyn, Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz who, by playing to their potential, that have made this a champion team. Without the secondary level of players pulling their weight, the work of the champions could easily be wasted, and this is where commitment to excellence shows.

Kasprowicz is a perfect example of someone who commits himself to doing a job that is critical to the overall team effort. His performances in recent years where he has kept the pressure on when McGrath was off are the epitome of what I am talking about. By understanding himself, his body, and his role in the team structure, Kasprowicz has prolonged a career that looked destined to peter out for lack of opportunity. Rather than sulk and bemoan his luck, Kasprowicz headed to Glamorgan where he dedicated himself to finding out as much as he could about bowling on different surfaces. In the process he has become the perfect foil for the destructive forces of McGrath, Gillespie and Warne. So much so that Brett Lee has been unable to force his way into the team.

Players like Langer and Martyn have also fought hard to make their mark at the top level and have contributed to making this team. By taking themselves out of their comfort zone, and by pushing the envelope - individually and as a group - Australia have created a record that will be hard to top.

It is by doing the little things well that great teams are made. Australia put in the effort to support each other and put pressure on the opposition; by chasing hard, being prepared to dive. There is never an easy run against them. By meeting the long throws half-way and by backing up all throws or potential throws at the stumps, the Australians minimise their error-rate and increase their chances of taking wickets, which, after all, is still the best way to keep the run-rate and total down.

Any team that wants to knock Australia from their pedestal will need to work at least as hard as them, and maybe even harder. Anything less will only bring spasmodic success against the better teams. England have learnt this lesson and have put in the groundwork to be more competitive more consistently.

India currently have an opportunity to look hard at what they need to do to make the most of a particularly gifted group of cricketers. The clock is ticking, for many of them are past the mid-point of their career and they only have a short time in which to make the most of their talent, particularly in relation to team success. If the clock stops at midnight, then it is already 11.30 and counting for this group.

Without a commitment to doing what it takes to achieve their destiny, the results will be consistent with what has gone before. To keep doing the same thing and expect different results is, according to Winston Churchill, lunacy.

For some in this group it may already be too hard to make changes. They may just not have it in them. Only those who are prepared to make a huge effort to remove any chinks from their armour will be able to take the next step. It is an exciting opportunity for Indian cricket to claim its place in the sun and to become the undisputed force in world cricket.

The question of who will mastermind the next phase of development of Indian cricket has been widely debated and has been decided by an exhaustive process. To have been chosen as the one to lead India is indeed an honour, and one that I will take very seriously. The biggest challenge initially will be to get the players to buy into the vision of excellence that I will put before them when we meet in June.

Whatever happens, I am about to embark on the most wonderful, exciting, and challenging period of my life, as well as of my coaching career. I can't wait to get started.