Yet, competitive cricket is not a pre-requisite for a rivalry. The Ashes and the India-Pakistan contest are rivalries purely because supporters on either side of each of those contests want success so badly that they tend to completely disregard cricketing facts. Thus, India v Pakistan was a rivalry in the late 1980's and early 1990's, at a time when Pakistan clearly had the better team, just as the Ashes rivalry continued unabated through out the 1990's - a decade of absolute Australian dominance. A rivalry is one where an entire team recieves an OBE for winning back the Ashes. What India and Australia have, is similar to what Pakistan and West Indies had in the late 1980's - Pakistan were the only team in the world which could compete with the West Indies then.
Rivalries have little to do with on-field events, they relate to stories about contests and contests beyond the cricket field. India and Australia have no such shared history. Indeed, between 1945 and 2000, Australia toured India 7 times, including just three full tours in the last 30 years of the 20th century. The BCCI's increasing clout and the resulting parity in the cricket calender has meant that India and Australia now play each other as frequently, if not as much as England play Australia. But India v Australia is still more like Brazil v Holland, than it is like England v Argentina. A contest that is likely to produce exceptionally high quality cricket, without any of the attendant themes of a true rivalry.
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3 months ago
great read mate, though being an Indian living in Australia surrounded by people telling me that the Australians are going to beat India quite easily, and the whole Sydney test issue, has turned this cricketing contest into a cricketing rivalry for me.
from 2 months ago
Ankit i'm surprised the Australians you know say that. Everyone i know expects India to win because of the lack of options as far as spin goes in the Australian team, and the players missing, and the lack of match fitness comming off a long break. I dont think India will get a better chance for a long long time to beat the Aussies.
I'm surprised India were so outplayed in the first test.(the weather god blessed them).Thank god for 2 tail enders making the Indian runs.
But i dont think this series has captured the attention of the Australian people either. There is still Rugby being played, and i think most see this tour as a way to find some form for the summer. No one at home will be too upset if Australia lose this series.
2 months ago
PS Ankit, RE SYDNEY...It never stops to amaze me how Indians carry on about bad decisions. It happens to all of us. Hayden was not out in either innings yet was given out, ponting got a bad decision also. Yet you dont hear Australians winging about it. A bad decision cost Australia the 2005 Ashes also, but we dont spoil the Poms having a rare gloat, by winging about it. Its the nature of test cricket, you lose, you get over it, and move on.
from 2 months ago
Hahahha are you kidding about the whole no one will be too upset if Australia loses to India in this series? In all seriousness India vs Australia is quite easily the most evenly contested test series at present has been for a decade almost.
As for the first test match well Australia didn't dominate as much as you make it out to be. On that pitch we kept you under 450 and your run rate was under 3 per over as well. On that pitch where the first two days were the best days to bat on you should have atleast scored 500.
Admittedly you guys bowled well but to say that we saved the match due to weather again is wrong. We saved the match on the Third day of the test when Zaheer and Harbhajan both got 50s.
You guys could have lost that match as well my friend had we got another wicket or two on the 4th day when Haddin and Watson managed to stay and save you guys. Honestly mate Australia hardly outplayed us. In my opinion both teams would be happy that the series is level still.
Now about that Sydney issue, mate if you go watch the test again its not the actual decisions but the way they were made is what riled us. There were catches claimed that were bump balls which is what annoyed most viewers. I agree Hayden wasn't out in both the innings but Dravid wasnt out in one either and well Ponting could have been out a couple of times easily before he got that bad decision so lets not debate the whole decision thing.
And trust me had India won that the first test match we would have heard a lot about the Hayden dismissals. You know that and i know that too...
2 months ago
Well no one i know could care less really. Its like sending a rugby team to europe with no known forwards, obviously under strength, we dont expect too much, we are realistic.
I cant remember Australia ever winging about poor decisions, unless its some yobbo at the pub with no idea, but i've heard it time and time again from India. A so called bump ball is your beaf ? The better team won that series, and really never looked like loosing it. The best you could of possibly hoped for was a draw, but they just were not good enouph. It just annoys me that every time India lose, they blame every thing they can find to explain it. They even dictate which umpires they want if they get a bad decision.
Thats my opinion anyway, so we will just have to disagree.
On another note i think Sharma is the best thing thats come for India in a long time, he will be a great bowler. Hopefully some good batsmen will come along to replace the tiring ,old star batsmen, or we might not get very interesting contests for some time once this lot retire.
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