Order disorder

India defeated Australia, but it's still too inconsistent to be called the best team in the world.

As colleagues in the newsroom would testify, Umpire’s Post does not mind playing the spoilsport. So here is another valiant (irksome, says the newsroom) attempt to punch holes in a seemingly great story.

That 2-0 Test series win over Australia was great. But it is laughable to think that India has become the world’s best cricket team. To impart any legitimacy to that claim, a team must win consistently, win all over the world, win matches that everyone has given up as lost, and do all this over a prolonged period.

This year began with India snatching defeat from the jaws of a certain draw at Sydney. If our batsmen had not lost their heads, and their wickets in a clatter, when faced with part-time bowlers in the dying moments, that series in Australia would have been a creditable draw. (Then, perhaps, there would be less need to blow up the controversies at Sydney.)

Sri Lanka pretty much thrashed us in two recent Tests. South Africa has dominated more sessions than not against us. We have never won a Test series in Australia or South Africa, and not for a long time in New Zealand. On the last tour to South Africa, we let a series slip away after being 1-0 up. Why, we haven’t won back-to-back Tests for nearly three years.

It will be foolhardy to read too much into the latest win against Australia. India is a funny team; it has an exasperating ability to bring its level on par with its opponents. It has matched Australia series after series — with the exception of the Lele-forecast 3-0 whitewash in 1999-2000. The series win against Mark Taylor’s team in 1998 was more impressive than this one, although Australia won the last Test to make it 2-1.

However, India has also shown the rare ability to bring its level down to match the lesser teams. So, while we have done well against Australia, we have struggled against many of the others.

The team that just beat Australia is no longer intact and will change even more. Kumble and Ganguly are gone; Dravid’s selection against England will not be automatic. Without Kumble, our attack no longer has a spinner capable of taking wickets anywhere. Ishant’s emergence is heartwarming. He is the first Indian fast bowler to be adjudged the best player of a Test series in India since Kapil Dev in 1983. Still, one hopes it is not a false dawn like Sreesanth’s turned out to be.

This win against Australia has more consequences for Australia than for India. The world order is changing, but the new order does not have India perched at the top.