Sachin should explain Indian eclipse from Test rankings

More than competent Compton, totally my fault, I did not pursue his pursuit right at the end, and the last day in May was not merry, and the rain deprived young Nick Compton of the chance to score 1,000 first class runs in that magic month. He proceeded to do so the next day, and became the fastest to 1,000 since Graeme Hick in 1988, totally my fault, I slipped up on my concentration, and Nick just didn’t make it – aaaah. Closer to home, no Indians in the top-ten Test rankings in either bowling or batting, for the first time ever, since the rankings began? Just possibly. And I check out the scheduling, even as Gambhir and Tendulkar once again jump on the Test bannedwagon – sorry, Freudian slip – bandwagon, and make statements about how Test cricket is the true thing. [caption id=“attachment_332553” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Sachin in the Rajya Sabha, and Dhoni on the border – both men serving the nation – both men at crossroads – will they return to the sport which gave them so much – Test cricket? Reuters”]  [/caption] According to the international schedule put out by the ICC, we were to play three Tests against Sri Lanka in July–August. It is now a One-Day series. The next Tests are against New Zealand in September – from the 23rd – and then from the 31st. Eight lonely and non-testing months since we will have played a Test – so much for concern for Test cricket. Then in November-December, four Tests against the English, and in February–March, four against Australia. It is fascinating to hear Sachin give no explanation for India’s incredibly poor run in Test cricket in 2011–2012, nor to express any regret, or sorrow – if he has the honesty to look back on it, he should have gone to the West Indies a year ago. The entire World Cup winning team should have gone but they didn’t  and have never played together since – nor ever will – that is the real reason but no one will admit it, or at least apologise. Meanwhile, Compton has 1049 runs at 95.36 – wish he was playing in the final Test against the Windies – as does he. That series, which promised so much, now faces a ‘dead’ third Test but it will not be something courageous will happen – a new Windies batsman will finally keep his bat straight and his feet moving, and will score. A new spin bowler just might befuddle the English – Trott might not score again, and Chanderpaul might score two centuries and people will come to watch as the English summer, which used to be the very centre of international cricket, will blossom and bloom. Sachin in the Rajya Sabha, and Dhoni on the border, both men serving the nation, both great cricketers, who have played the game with skill and dedication beyond description. Both men at crossroads, will they return to the sport which gave them so much and to which they gave so much – Test cricket – and serve that noble game as they wish to do the country? We live in a world where anything can happen – and often does – with a flick of the switch, with a push of the button – with a waft of the bat, with a swing of the ball – with the passing of the buck, over and under the table. The symbol of the rupee is changed, and it plummets – coincidence? aah. The symbol of cricket is changed, and our Indian cricket plummets - coincidence? aah.