Growing up done, GenNext awaits next big Test

Who will succeed Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman? It’s a question we’ve agonised over long and hard. Through the years, we’ve seen players come and go. Some raised visions of grandeur, others disappeared after the initial flourish and still others got lost in the sandstorm of international cricket before they could make any impact.

At last, it seems the Indian selectors have finally settled on the players who will be required to step in once the big three bow out. But the decision of the five wise men would mean nothing if the players themselves did not realise what they are really required to do.

Increasingly, the chosen ones – Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma – are making the right noises. It could be a consequence of having been around in international cricket for a while or just finding their niche. Whatever it is, it’s refreshing; they are on the right track. Of course, we aren’t talking about Twenty20 or One-Dayers; we are solely focussed on the Tests.

All three have basically played enough ODIs to know where they stand. And if the results in the West Indies are anything to go by then they have also realised that sometimes just floating is good enough. The performances in the West Indies haven’t been flashy but they’ve been solid. In the long run, it’s solidity that counts.

Yusuf Pathan is good but only when he gets going and that’s never often enough. These guys are getting more consistent with every passing day and now you can actually trust them to do what is tactically the right thing. If the ODIs seem boring, it has a lot to do with the way these players are handling things. Get the drift, they’re growing up.

A few days back, it was Sharma who spoke about finding his game. After the win in the second ODI, it was Kohli who came out and spoke sensibly. As we said, it was refreshing.

“I was always determined to do well,” Kohli said. “Someone or other always tells you that this has been spoken about you at this place. I decided to change. I had to do it. It was time to change.

“I have been given a chance to play for India, which is not a small thing because you have 20 others with same talent waiting for that kind of a chance. So why waste the opportunity? I got the odd game here and there in 2009. I was a replacement player then. I was very determined to do well at each opportunity.”

The fact, that these guys have understood the value of the opportunities is also a sign that they’ve grown up.

For Raina, it was never a question of attitude as it was with Sharma and Kohli. When he first made it to the team in 2005, he would trail Mohammad Kaif into the nets at every opportunity. He was talented but he was a hard worker too. The captaincy is probably a reflection of the selectors’ belief that he won’t slack off as the others may. He’ll lead by example; by working hard and that is also a sign of growing up.

But the race is far from over. These guys have just cleared the first hurdle. Now, begins the true test. Soon, probably after the tour of Australia, they’ll have the chance to step into the Test XI and when that happens, the one who gets in first will have the chance to make it stick. In a tough professional world, the first mover advantage is great; it could decide how long you wait for your chance, a year or even longer.

Dravid and Laxman – may not have announced their retirement from the shorter version of the game – but they are both pretty much done with ODIs. In Tests, however, it’s still hard to look beyond them. And they will probably have a pick of their last opponents – till then these guys will have to wait.

But we’ll rest easy in the knowledge that these guys are ready to make the opportunities count.