India, Sachin Tendulkar show who’s No 1
Leaving no doubt about which is the best team in the world, India cruised to a 7-wicket win and a 2-0 series triumph against Australia.
The world order has changed. Earlier, Australia was the behemoth. Now, it is India.
At this stage, they are difficult to stop, as Ricky Ponting and Co found out. The chase of 207 was effortless, spearheaded by master Sachin Tendulkar and debutant Cheteshwar Pujara, sealing a 2-0 series triumph; a battered Australia slid to fifth place in the ICC rankings for the first time.
If ever there were any doubts about India’s number one status, Wednesday’s seven-wicket win should settle the issue.
Australia have not won a series here in the last six years. Now, they go home with the dubious distinction of being clean-swept, something they have not experienced in over 25 years.
Continuing his golden run of 2010, Tendulkar top-scored in the series, and reclaimed the No 1 Test batsman rank.
But the series was not only about Tendulkar. India unearthed its future in Pujara, who showed nerves of steel to score a half century. So many others played a part too. And that is the mark of the best team in the world.