Saddened by India's greatest cricketing glory

[graphic23]

I just finished watching a magnificent (in my view) episode on our World Cup win in 1983. It was broadcasted on Star Cricket (called India's World Cup: 1983). Had narrative moments by Kapil Dev, Madan Lal, Srikkanth, Roger Binny, Viv Richards, Michael Holding, David Gower, Balwinder Sandhu, etc. It was an amazing video. I will remember it for a long time to come. Once I finished watching it, first there is delight. Then there is a bit of amazement at how the win has transformed India (and its cricket) and Cricket in general. Then there is that strange feeling of bewilderment at the magnitude of our victory. Then comes the parallel (though one that is misfit) to our victory in September 2007. Whenever I watch India win, there is this overwhelming sense of achievement and of pride. I am proud of Kapil's team. I am proud of the way every man contributed to the win in the end. I am proud. I am, like most in 1983, immersed in a feeling of achievement - that India has just won the WC against all odds - that romanticization of the feeling that we defeated all those who claimed that WI would run over us. But along with all of this euphoria, I feel something a bit more strange. I feel sad. I feel sad that what was the world's greatest team had actually started a bit of a downfall. I am aware that they came to India and beat us 7-0 and 4-0 in One days and Tests respectively. But I feel saddened that this team lead by an excellent leader consisting of the cricket's greatest pace attack and the world's best batsman at the time just never recovered from this. As happy as I am by the results of 1983 Finals, perhaps somewhere inside of me, I feel that had WI won, we could've seen an extension of excellence - of excellent that everyone wanted to see, of excellence that everyone waited to see. They couldn't make the 1987 Semifinals, and despite having Viv Richards, couldn't stop the downward spiral. I am saddened. I write this in an emotional hyperbole and perhaps have got my feelings and statistics wrong. But as great as Kapil's 175 was, a WI win would have kept them at the helm just that much longer, that perhaps, today, I wouldn't have had to see them at the bottom of the test rankings. This win, probably the only win in Indian cricket history, makes me feel that I perhaps would be happier if the result was the other way around.

[punjabi_khota]

"India is 1st Priority": Lol

[graphic23]

"India is 1st Priority": Lol

:P Thats true. But in this case, there was this extra feeling of sadness. Perhaps I liked the WI team of 1970's and 80s a lot more than any other team [apart from India, of course] that I do now. It just seems that they were good at winning but no one hated them for it. I think I don't like Australia despite being the best for the last 12-13 years or so.

[punjabi_khota]

:P Thats true. But in this case' date=' there was this extra feeling of sadness. Perhaps I liked the WI team of 1970's and 80s a lot more than any other team [apart from India, of course'] that I do now. It just seems that they were good at winning but no one hated them for it. I think I don't like Australia despite being the best for the last 12-13 years or so.

I cannot relate to it because I wasn't even born that time. So although I know some stats, I don't really have a feel for it.

[graphic23]

I cannot relate to it because I wasn't even born that time. So although I know some stats' date=' I don't really have a feel for it.[/quote'] Oh. :P I wasn't born for more 6-7 years after the thing. I just relate to it because my parents (yes both mom and dad) and all my relatives and all the articles always speak about this. I was hoping someone old (:P ) could give us a better idea of what it was like but it seems they're all asleep :p

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[Ram]

A day's result doesnt change much, unless its a truly memorable event. Even Kenya reached the semis of the '03 WC, did their cricket sky-rocket after that? West Indies Cricket declined because they failed to invest in grass-roots level cricket and were over-reliant on producing outstanding pacemen and talented batsman out of thin air. They were lucky to be able to do it for so long, but at some point, the tank was going to dry up. If anything, the real result that sort of heralded the decline the the Windies was the 95 series against Australia, the series that saw the rise of Glenn McGrath as a new star. On the flip-side to the argument, one could also argue that the shock victory may not have boosted the popularity of cricket in the Caribbean, but it helped Cricket shoot through the roof in India. Starting the WC victory in 83 and culminating in the 85 series victory in Australia, was when Cricket became a household name in India, a national obsession. So, cricket actually gained in the net positive from that upset victory.

[graphic23]

A day's result doesnt change much, unless its a truly memorable event. Even Kenya reached the semis of the '03 WC, did their cricket sky-rocket after that? West Indies Cricket declined because they failed to invest in grass-roots level cricket and were over-reliant on producing outstanding pacemen and talented batsman out of thin air. They were lucky to be able to do it for so long, but at some point, the tank was going to dry up. If anything, the real result that sort of heralded the decline the the Windies was the 95 series against Australia, the series that saw the rise of Glenn McGrath as a new star. On the flip-side to the argument, one could also argue that the shock victory may not have boosted the popularity of cricket in the Caribbean, but it helped Cricket shoot through the roof in India. Starting the WC victory in 83 and culminating in the 85 series victory in Australia, was when Cricket became a household name in India, a national obsession. So, cricket actually gained in the net positive from that upset victory.

Well, I don't know. Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh were there but they were also a disinterested bunch, I've read. I don't know - it just seems that after that moment, they lost a part of their aura. They lost the World Series thing in 1985. The only thing was that they were unbeatable at home because of the aforementioned bowlers and a couple of their batsmen. But by the time Brian Lara truly came into his own, they were going down rapidly. :((

[Ram]

Well' date=' I don't know. Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh were there but they were also a disinterested bunch, I've read. I don't know - it just seems that after that moment, they lost a part of their aura. They lost the World Series thing in 1985. The only thing was that they were unbeatable at home because of the aforementioned bowlers and a couple of their batsmen. But by the time Brian Lara truly came into his own, they were going down rapidly. :(([/quote'] They may have lost some of their invincibility, but that's still got nothing to do with fundamentals of their cricketing system, which was weak and ultimately cost them their dominant position in the sport.

[graphic23]

I hate to say this but what of Australia now. They arguably have had the best domestic infrastructure for cricket for the past 20 years or so but they have been unable to unearth a very good fast bowler and a decent spinner. That they have given out nearly 6 or 7 baggy greens in the past 10 months or so shows that infrastructure alone doesn't give you the goods. Perhaps you are right though.

[Ram]

I hate to say this but what of Australia now. They arguably have had the best domestic infrastructure for cricket for the past 20 years or so but they have been unable to unearth a very good fast bowler and a decent spinner. That they have given out nearly 6 or 7 baggy greens in the past 10 months or so shows that infrastructure alone doesn't give you the goods. Perhaps you are right though.

Maybe not, but good grass-roots infrastructure will atleast ensure that your standards of cricket does not drop below a certain level. The Windies went from being the best to almost the worst. I doubt if something similar will happen to Australia. They may not be as dominant as they were before, but they will still win more than they lose.

[Chandan]

I hate to say this but what of Australia now. They arguably have had the best domestic infrastructure for cricket for the past 20 years or so but they have been unable to unearth a very good fast bowler and a decent spinner. That they have given out nearly 6 or 7 baggy greens in the past 10 months or so shows that infrastructure alone doesn't give you the goods. Perhaps you are right though.

Australia will still be among the top three teams of the world and if it doesn't go down rapidly, it'll be among top two. None of the other countries have a system to sustain the number one position, even if they gain it for a brief while. You can never write Australia off and it'll be one of the top teams because of its wonderful system. WI lacked that and hence went to a downward spiral rather rapidly and is the bottom ranked team at present. Australia will NEVER face that position.

[Rajan]

I But along with all of this euphoria, I feel something a bit more strange. I feel sad. I feel sad that what was the world's greatest team had actually started a bit of a downfall. I am aware that they came to India and beat us 7-0 and 4-0 in One days and Tests respectively. But I feel saddened that this team lead by an excellent leader consisting of the cricket's greatest pace attack and the world's best batsman at the time just never recovered from this.

no, they beat us 5-0 in one dayers , 3-0 in tests. chennai and mumbai were drawn. Gavaskar scored 121 with his 100 in 94 balls in mumbai, vengsarkar scored 150 if i am correct there. in chennai coming in #3 OR 4, Gavaskar scored his test best, 236*, prompting Viv Richards to quip-' it does not matter whether u open the inning or come in at #4, the team score remains zero", i think Marshall removed Gaekwad and another batsman with out scoring, but Gavaskar sealed an end and played admirably. in fact we had a winning opportunity at Ahmedabad after Gavaskar's scintillating 90 and Kapil's devastating 9 for 83 in windies 2nd innings, but we could not chase even 250. in kolkotta, we let Clive Lloyd and last man andy roberts add around 170 runs and lost the initiative.read an interview where Lloyd said-" indians in this series treated the one dayers with test match approach and tests with one day approach". by the way, even before the 1983 world cup. indian team defeated west indies in a one day match at Berbice, if i am correct. Gavaskar scored 90 and Kapil contributed handsomely, if i am correct and in a match which was halted a few minutes due to, err, an earth quake! so, indian team were confident that they could beat windies! add to that the first time they met in the round robin league stage, where we again beat windies with contribution from sandip , amarnath and Yashpal.so, it was not as much as a shock for me when we won the finals. i was thrilled and fell down the stairs when i came hopping 3 steps a time to break the news to my friends after listening to radio commentary,Bacchus getting out!!! could not sleep that night! i would relate the west indies loss in 1987 to the beginning of their end.Richards was too arrogant and threw his wicket.they were too confident that they can defend 16 runs of the last over by Walsh. they did not even factor in the 'possibility of a loss'.that crushed Viv. He was flat on his back on the ground after Windies lost and i had tears in my eyes!

[Lurker]

But along with all of this euphoria, I feel something a bit more strange. I feel sad. I feel sad that what was the world's greatest team had actually started a bit of a downfall. I am aware that they came to India and beat us 7-0 and 4-0 in One days and Tests respectively. But I feel saddened that this team lead by an excellent leader consisting of the cricket's greatest pace attack and the world's best batsman at the time just never recovered from this. As happy as I am by the results of 1983 Finals, perhaps somewhere inside of me, I feel that had WI won, we could've seen an extension of excellence - of excellent that everyone wanted to see, of excellence that everyone waited to see. They couldn't make the 1987 Semifinals, and despite having Viv Richards, couldn't stop the downward spiral. I am saddened.

Graphic, West Indies team of late 70s and mid 80s is one of the all-time great teams and in a way India did precipitate its downfall. However it would be wrong to suggest one-day games, specially WC one dayers, brought about West Indies downfall on its own. Yes the WI failed to make the semis in 1987 when they lost to Pakistan in the quarters. However this was not very different to Pakistan-WI game in 1975 semis when the latter narrowly won by 1 wicket thanks to last wicket partnership between Roberts and Murray. http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/match/65042.html In the 1987 quarters Pakistan won a humdinger and folks who have watched the game will remember one of the greatest sporting action on a cricket field when Courtney Walsh refused to dismiss the runner-up batsman for following up too far. He actually did it twice in the last over. If I remember correctly Qadir smashed a six and won a classic for Pakistan. xxx