Over the ropes

Bludgeoned, Blitzkreiged, Smashed, Pounded, Torn Apart, Brutal, Violent, Brilliant, One Sided... all sites have various adjectives to describe Sunday's smashing pasting received by New Zealand, it was classical and pristine Sehwag !!

The Nawab of Najarfgarh, when in this mood and this form is rather unstoppable. More often than not he gets himself out, but off late he has got himself to be a little more careful at the start and that has ensured he is a lot more consistent.

Sehwag over the years was never a consistent scorer in One-Dayers, he was consistent in Tests amazingly where as you would think his game is tailor made for the shorter version. But since his comeback in Australia, he has not looked back and gone from strength to strength !!

This is one batsman who scores at his own terms, when he gets going the wheels come off the opposition bowling line-ups !!! He is so so so so so so exciting to watch and he thrills you all the time, at the same time there is this constant fear in your heart that he might get himself out !!!!

Where Sehwag has now improved and matured a lot more is he is sensible, there is a definite method to this MADNESS !! He doesn't go after everything, he waits for his zone, he picks bowlers. Once done that, he pulverises the bowlers !! He is one step ahead of Mathew Hayden for me !! He is a lot more talented than Hayden and a lot more dangerous !!

While the debate rages whether this is the best batting line up India ever had... I would suggest leave that debate aside and just watch India win !!!

For years we have had times when we were not so well off, where individual brilliance would win us a few breath taking matches, but never would we be consistent over a whole series or a few months !!

Yes we won a World Cup in 1983 but were killed thereafter by the Proud West Indians in the Test Series that followed where they beat us 5-0 !!!!

Yes we had a fantastic team of talented players and allrounders in 1985-86 when we won the Benson & Hedges World Series and a couple of years after that, but we have never been able to consistently win series after series. Plus our consistency in Test Matches abroad has been apalling !!!! Its time to set things right !

Now we win series after series, 5-0 against England, 4-1 against Srilanka & 3-0 now against New Zealand ... We should win the New Zealand Test Series 3-0 unless ofcourse if the weather intervenes !!!

This is a new beginning, where we have 8-9 match winners, who can single handedly win matches on their own, in this team of 11 !!!!

Imagine Sachin, now is not the most explosive batsman in the team and that is some statement !!!!

For almost 15 years there was no better batsman, no alternative to Sachin !! We would be scared to even contemplate a time when Sachin would retire !!! But Champion Teams are not made of one Champion player !! they are 11 Champions !!!!

Just behold and keep watching as the Dhoni Era -- The Golden Era of Indian Cricket keeps unfolding ..... !!!!