England's Ascent to the Top in Test Cricket: Where is Sunil Gavaskar when you really, really need him...

While England have been brilliant in climbing to the top of the world, their ascent has been trumped up too much as opposed to India's when they climbed to the top

The unanimous acknowledgement of England as the best Test side in the world was anticipated.

No one is pointing out that England lost a Test series in the West Indies. That the last time they beat India in India, Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Since then they have beaten Australia in Australia not once but twice! They have not won in Sri Lanka in over a decade

This too was expected to be conveniently forgotten.

Suddenly when it comes to England, everyone sort of understands that the ICC ranking is based on the last 3 years of performance and on that count England’s ascent is beyond debate.

However no such concession was given to India when they reached the top of the same rankings that England claim today. Every Western leaning human and his/her dog, would jump to point out the exact same shortcomings in India’s record that even England are not immune to and question India’s legitimacy as the best Test side in the world.

India’s number one ranking got legitimacy only when England realized that by beating India they could claim the spot for themselves.

Where is Sunil Gavaskar when you really, really need him. Surely his contract permits him to show a mirror to the people dancing around the English bandwagon….