With India dominating Australia in the ongoing series, former captain Ajit Wadekar feels that Anil Kumble and the Co. made up India's best-ever Test team
NEW DELHI: With India dominating Australia in the ongoing series, former captain Ajit Wadekar feels that Anil Kumble and the Co. made up India's best-ever Test team but lamented that it was peaking at a time when seniors were on the verge of retirement.
"We can now say the power is shifting to India. This is the best Indian team I have ever seen. They have a tremendous batting line-up and the spinners are also doing fine," said Wadekar, who visited the Ferozeshah Kotla on a special invitation by the Delhi and District Cricket Association here on Thursday.
"Everyone in the team is peaking at the right time. But the team is shaping at a time when some of the senior players are on the verge of retirement," he said.
The 67-year-old former chief selector said as Sourav Ganguly had already announced his retirement and other senior players were also in their twilight, it was time to blood youngsters in the team.
"The senior players have another two or three more years and Sourav Ganguly has already announced his retirement. So they (selectors) have to start picking up youngsters and blood them for Test cricket," he said.
Wadekar agreed Australia were not playing with a balanced team but found nothing new with the problems Ponting was facing after the retirements of Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath.
"This happens in international cricket. It happened with West Indies also. If you look back, you will find that when Allan Border took over he faced a similar situation and then he started picking up the players.
"And this is exactly the phase they are going thorough. The vacuum left by Warne and McGrath is not easy to fill. So this is not the balanced team as compared to Australian teams in the past. They don't have any quality spinner and fast bowler," Wadekar said.
Wadekar, who is also among the Board of Directors of the Indian Cricket League, said they were still awaiting ICC's verdict over recognition to their League.
"Our first talks with the Cricket Board failed but the BCCI has to file a report and send it to the ICC. We have written to the ICC for another round of talks and waiting for their verdict on it.
"I think the ICC must be under pressure to regularise all these leagues. It is time for ICC to keep a proper slot for the Twenty20 leagues and more emphasis should be given to Test cricket," he said.
The former Mumbai batsman, who has led India to many landmark wins in away series in 1970s, said it would be difficult for any current player, including Ricky Ponting, to surpass Sachin Tendulkar's record of 12,000 Test runs.
"I don't see any current player overtaking Sachin as he will still play for a couple of more years and amass runs," he said.
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