The halo of rankings and comparisons

By Rajadhyax

Mass media is fond of number games – and rankings. They also successfully push them down our throats and we gleefully accept them. From ranking the most influential CEOs to the most famous actors and from deciding the most powerful politicians to the best home appliances, it’s a global obsession that has spread everywhere. Cricket is no exception.

We rank cricketers and cricket teams on the basis of specific features and even try to compare our past with the present. The validity and desirability of such comparisons are questionable and yet they stare at us daily through newspapers or TV shows. The recent triumphs of the Indian and South African teams – especially while playing abroad – have propelled one such discussion. The question being asked frequently in a section of the media is: Is this the best Indian team to have ever played test cricket?

India recently secured its third successive test cricket victory since they defeated the Aussies 2-0 in November. In fact they have also defeated the mighty Australians in Australia in the last ODI series played down under, besides winning a test at the dreaded Perth ground (sometimes rated as the fastest wicket in cricket). In recent past neither England with the combined talents of Flintoff and Petersen nor the Sri Lankans boasting of ‘mystery spinner’ Ajantha Mendis were able to stop the Dhoni Dinosaurs who gobbled up wins at will. To add icing to the cake, Sachin is back to his century making ways. Sehwag has been declared by Wisden as the Leading Cricketer in the World for 2008. Wisden’s first ever dream team comprises of five Indians and is captained by Dhoni while Gambhir is now the highest scoring opener in the world for this year. Except winning a test series in Australia, this team has passed all exams with flying colours, dominating as a rule.

Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, who captained India in their last series triumph in New Zealand (in 1968), says, “I think it is one of India’s best sides of all time…. this side will enjoy more success in the future”. One of India’s successful skippers, Ajit Wadekar states emphatically, “Absolutely, this is the best team India has ever produced. We have never had a more balanced team”. Sachin himself called this one as the best batting line-up he has ever played in.

The sceptics would like to wait and watch before venturing comments. Yes, we beat West Indies in their back yard for a series win after 35 years (in 2006) and beat the Black Caps in theirs after 41 but the final exam is yet to be cracked; winning a test series in Australia is the ultimate challenge in cricket. India lost an acrimonious test series 2-1 there in 2004 and obliterated Ponting’s boys recently at home, but the cricket-crazy nation still awaits a series win in a country where all teams consider winning as a benchmark of your class. That is a test that Graeme Smith’s South Africans passed, only to lose at home to Ponting’s side with fresh faces. In the ICC rankings it is still the Aussies at the number one spot, followed by the proteans and then the Indians.

There are also those who detest all rankings and comparisons. Rankings make it sound like a simple car race. The vehicle that emerges first more often than not is declared the best car. But cricket is a different sport. Comparing teams or players of the same era is fine, but arithmetic rankings raise eyebrows. For instance, putting Kulasekara as the best ODI bowler is difficult to digest – though he is good – when you can see Nathan Bracken and Harbhajan bowl better in the same period. Such arithmetic gives too much to chance. The worse is when we compare teams of different eras. The playing conditions, rules of the game, strategies, equipment, challenges and trials of the game vary too much from one era to another to warrant such comparisons.

So, is this the best ever team from India? Forget it, they say. Relax, sit back and enjoy the game. Watch Sehwag plunder runs against respected bowlers of the world and Zaheer square batsmen with his away swingers. See Bhajji spin a web around good batsmen or skipper Dhoni himself perform his distinctive, athletic brand of wicket keeping. Then there is the super talented Yuvraj blasting those big sixes. Just enjoy!