Stale champagne

Here are a few other World Cup stories that I remember clearly: How, in 1987, favourites India were swept away by Mike Gatting and Graham Gooch in the semi-finals in Mumbai.

How, in 1992, Javagal Srinath thought he had hit a match-winning six against Australia, shook hands with non-striker Venkatapathy Raju, and got run-out to leave India one run short, a moment of madness that derailed India8217;s campaign.

In 1996, Mohammad Azharuddin elected to field first in the semi-finals on a Kolkata pitch that crumbled faster than a cookie.

Over to 1999, and a loss in the group stages to Zimbabwe 8212; Henry Olonga took three wickets in the final over of that game 8212; came back to bite India as they failed to get out of the Super Sixes.

Or 2003, when Zaheer Khan bowled about 35 wides in his opening over and had a polite chat with Matthew Hayden that for some reason got the Aussies riled up. It was the closest they came to winning the World Cup again, but so one-sided was the final that it doesn8217;t seem that close any more.

And then there was the last edition in the Caribbean where Anil Kumble, of all people, managed to get our friendly neighbours fired up by suggesting the Indians might rest a few seniors for the tour of Bangladesh as they wouldn8217;t get a break after the tournament. The seniors got a nice, long break, knocked out in the opening round thanks to an embarrassing loss to Bangladesh.

It8217;s not that there8217;s anything wrong with celebrating the 25th anniversary of India8217;s greatest cricketing achievement. But while that moment is being milked for every story possible 8212; even the then BCCI president N.K.P. Salve has regaled us with tales of how the players pestered him for bonuses after their win 8212; it8217;s hard not to ask a few uncomfortable questions.

When does pride over the achievement turn into shame over how the balance between those who vividly remember the final and those who8217;ve only seen grainy, sepia-tinged re-runs gets progressively skewed in favour of the latter? At what point does it become unacceptable that we have only one World Cup victory? Twenty-five years obviously isn8217;t long enough. Will we be celebrating India8217;s only World Cup victory in 2083 as well?

The 1983 victory changed the face of Indian cricket, we8217;ve been told time and again. But as things have turned out, the real turnaround has only been in one sphere: A big step for Indian cricket, many big leaps for the Indian cricket board.

What have been India8217;s major international one-day victories since Kapil8217;s Devils lifted the trophy? There was the World Series win by the same bunch of cricketers two years later in Australia. In 1993, Mohammad Azharuddin8217;s side won the Hero Cup at home. There was the Natwest Trophy triumph, an achievement that gained significance for the manner in which the final was won 8212; after all, it was only a tri-series involving England and Sri Lanka. And, a few months ago, there was the remarkable tri-series win in Australia.

In that same period, Jagmohan Dalmiya repeatedly took on the International Cricket Council. And won. India also hosted two World Cups successfully, and have managed to win the bid for a third in 2011. Together, successive administrators have shifted the balance of power to the sub-continent and, of course, they have probably changed the way international cricket will be played for ever after the inaugural Indian Premier League.

Which victories seem bigger: On the field or off the field? Incidentally, most stadiums in India remain nightmares for paying spectators, so that8217;s a battle the board8217;s either not winning or not fighting.

Months after India had beaten Clive Lloyd8217;s giants at Lord8217;s, the West Indies toured India and gave us a walloping that did enough to bring Indian cricket back down to earth. Twenty-five years later, as we get over the hangover of another party or is it the same one?, something needs to nudge Indian cricket back to reality again.

deepak.narayananexpressindia.com