Cricket is a game that has always elicited euphoria amongst the fanatics as well as those who have a little inclination towards the game. A game that originated as a children’s game in England has now acquired global recognition. Though it is a game of just a bat that swings a ball and leaps it into the air, destined to either land in a fielder’s hand or crash outside the stadium, it still stirs the anxious crowd and makes their heart throb faster. The spirit of the game obliterates the borders and brings a plethora of people together to enjoy the thrill of the game. The feeling has always been similar in India.
The game of cricket came as a recreational game from the British empire during the eighteen century. Though the game descended down to India as a game introduced by the colonisers, it still integrated itself with the Indian culture and got entwined with the many hearts it touched. It always instilled hope and brought smiles on the faces of its spectators, making them united as one for just a moment and also wavering their minds out of the skirmishes that were playing in the background.
The game prevailed through the thick and thin, raising the morale of Indains in their bleakest moments. It grew and revolutionized the status of Indian sports, emerging as the most successful game in the country, pulling millions of crowds and turning lives around as it made a raw player shine as a star. And then came the quintessential moment that etched a mark in the Indian history of sport, the Golden Era of Indian cricket.
The era descended from the late 90s and trailed through the first decade of 2000, penetrating the book of Indian sport history, furthermore making a niche for India in the world of cricket. Amongst the various reasons for reaching this pinnacle, one crucial reason that stands out was the commendable performances of the legendary names in the Indian cricket world, Sachin tendulkar. Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Sourav Ganguly and Virendra Sehwag, who were famously known as the Fabulous Five.
They all were remarkable batmens, who were difficult to penetrate through,were fabulous in chasing after the runs, hitting boundaries and never let their guards down. They were feared on the field. The bowler suffered tremendously, as their every trick would transform into their own annihilation at the hands of these Fabulous Five.
Apart from this astronomical reason, there were other significant catalysts that ensured India’s tremendous success during this period. Cricket is a team work and its rate of success befalls on the contributions made by the team and also the management team. Indian Team’s success too draws a lot from it’s restructuring, that was calculated accurately and with great precision. Induction of a foreign coach John Right, selection of a new and aggressive skipper in Ganguly were the major steps that brought a new flair of attitude and ideology to the game. The whole dimension of the game changes when a new coach joins, who comes with his own game strategies and playing styles. This though is a risk that could make or break a team, but fortunately it worked to India’s favour. A new outlook is always needed to revive a game that starts losing its sheen, which was brought in by the newly appointed skipper Saurav Ganguly who was aggressive in his outlook towards the game and wanted results from his team. He aspired to make Indian Cricket team to be the no. 1 team in the world, for which he worked hard and expected his team to work much harder. He was a great morale booster who would motivate his team when they needed to be boosted. And his seamless support for young and new players brought diversity in the team, which made the team a wholesome collection of talent.
Since it's a game that challenges the physical as well as mental fitness of the players, a thorough emphasis was laid upon this iaspect too, for which an efficient health support team was brought in. The pressure of the game is so profuse for the player that it affects their physical as well as their mental well being, and the management took note of it and catered.
The strategy of the game plays a crucial role in propelling a team to success and Indian team took heed of it. They went for an opening pair that had a great rapport and immaculate skills to kick off the game with a great start, as cricket is a game that gives you an edge if you start with a lump sum amount of runs. The runs had to keep flowing from the very beginning to challenge your opponent with a target that is unattainable within the given amount of overs, so the trick lies in the craftsmanship and efficiency of the batsmen to chance for runs and that too from the first ball. Cricket as much as it's a game about the batsman's prowess, the bowlers also are an imminent aspect of it. The utilization of fast bowlers provided India a boost, to chase a win after win.
The reasons can be many that can be attributed to India’s success, but the most essential reason that worked for India, and which works for any game, is the love for the game, its strong and its boosted with sportsmanship. The passion for the game and the will to be at the top drove India to attain the feet that wound up to be called it’s Golden Era in cricket.