Sunshine..

Indian cricket is enjoying the best sunshine in decades...Whatever happened in South Africa was not cricket, it was Emotion. It was also not a happenstance...it was an effulgent outcome of a calculated, energetic and patriotic action tempered by pride. It was a demonstrations of youth power. There they were, eleven young men with only meager experience, wearing their blue uniforms with innate pride for the honour of playing for the nation. They threw caution to wind and took plunge headlong. They took on the world's best and the mightiest in the newest version of cricket-- Twenty20 -- and became world champions in a ravishing manner. The sweet taste of success is barefaced, but this one's flavour is beyond words. The whole nation is cognate on this feeling which none can capture in words...

For the first time in many years, Indian cricket is enjoying a popular confidence of an unprecedented intensity. Though there were anxious remarks that India will not do very well in this inaugural Twenty20 World Cup, there were also larger numbers taht believed that India will make it to the top. By the time India thrashed the mighty Australia in the semi-finals, an overwhelming majority of fans had already gifted the Twenty20 World Cup to Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his young team. It was certainly not the best team in the tournament, atleast on paper. What made the difference was the team's self assertion.

The journey now will never be easy, particularly under the weight of popular expectations. Teams pipped by India will come back with a sense of vengeance. That will make the game all the more interesting for the fans, but difficult for the team. The real test, thus, will come now. But Indians seem all cinched. Thats the gain...thats the spirit...Cheers team India!!