The Spectator

The buzz around the quadrennial carnival is quietly building-up. Teams are busy figuring out respective preferred elevens, legends of the past are sharing their success mantra, analysts are forecasting possible winners and fans are engaging in all such peripheral activities. One such routine exercise is evoking memories from the past to form an all-time great World Cup XI side; and after an edition concludes, the best players are drafted into a dream team of performers from the particular world cup. How about enlisting a pre-tournament set of players who have stood out after the conclusion of the World Cup of 2011 as a crude summary of the names to watch out for over the next couple of months?

The current edition of the Border-Gavaskar trophy has associated adjectives like lively, newsy and enthralling more comfortably than its preceding one. For academic purposes the tussle has been settled before the final round and yet there is keenness in the build-up to the Sydney test. Two tests have gone down to the last session, there are physically spent bowlers with 100+ overs in 6 innings and skippers at either end have led respective batting units with vigilant, consistent knocks. Sparks have flown, tense confrontations have occupied match day reviews but on-field performances have managed to adhere onto memory chords, in the manner they should. Quietly certain players with under-performing report cards have slipped under the radar amid the noticeable concoction surrounding them. Surprisingly a certain Cheteshwar Pujara features among those who haven’t lived up to their repute. He is fidgety at the crease, slightly unsure about his off-stump, the ball is striking the bat il...