So, a 10-day break – interspersed with a 2-day practice match – hasn’t done any good to the Indian players; and their hopes of retaining the top spot is burning as fast as a camphor chip. The body language in the third test so far shows total submission, indicating acceptance that we have already handed over the spot to the English compatriots. The batting in the first innings was clueless; the bowling toothless and the fielding equally listless. Every cricket fan was screeching that Harbhajan be dropped, but Amit Mishra’s bowling would make Harbhajan look like a luminary.

And while the media and the cricket fanatics will cry hoarsely and hang the players upside down by their ankles, the best we can do is take pride in the fact that we are still world champions, at least for next 4 years. And while we may lose the top spot in test rankings during this time, no one can dislodge the team from the ‘champions’ status. With all the gloom and doom in the country due to political corruption, economic uncertainty, inflation and the Lokpal battle, we still need cricket and whatever positives it can offer to keep us interested and excited. Losing top test spot is disheartening, but at least our team has given us something this year that we can take pride in; and that will last us for next four years. Let us thank them for that; and be optimistic that things will again change for good; we will be back at the top soon. This is the only thing to look forward to in near future.