Just how good is this team?

Had a ranking system existed then, India's team of 1971 would probably have been at the top. After all, beating the West Indies and England in successive series', both of them away from home, was pathbreaking in the Indian context. The West Indies were undoubtedly on the decline, but how many would have bet on Ajit Wadekar's team getting the better of a side that had boasted Sobers, Kanhai, Lloyd, Hall and Gibbs?

With Dilip Sardesai as bedrock and new kid on the block Sunil Gavaskar scoring a record 774 runs in his first series, India pulled off a stunning win that cost Sobers his captaincy and Hall his career.A few weeks later, Chandrashekhar was to bamboozle Ray Illingworth's side at the Oval in a 6 for 38 spell that is still recalled with awe.

For good measure, Wadekar's team beat England again at home next series. Chandra, Bishen Bedi, S Venkataraghavan and E A S Prasanna were at their peak and Wadekar, Abid Ali, Venkatraghavan and Solkar provided excellent close-in fielding support to make them even more formidable. The fact that on occasion even Sunil Gavaskar would open the bowling was considered more necessity than farce.

Interestingly, Wadekar's winning side had its genesis in major controversy when chief selector Vijay Merchant used his casting vote to oust Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi from the Indian cricket captaincy for the twin tours in 1971. Merchant made `Catch `Em Young' his credo, and while this did finish off a few careers, what Indian cricket gained was also fine young talent: Sunil Gavaskar, Gundappa Vishwanath, Eknath Solkar, Ashok Mankad, to name a few, were the products of this purge.

Of these, Gavaskar and Vishwanath proved to be of outstanding merit for the next decade and more. Similar in stature, they were a study in contrast as batsmen. Sunny's technical perfection and unwavering focus was in sharp contrast to Vishy's wristy brilliance riding, alas, tepid ambition. Roomies to begin with and later to become bothers-in-law, they were the yin and yang of Indian batting. When both struck form in the same match, they were not just a treat to watch, but also a match-winning combo. Arguably India's most famous overseas victory was structured on the hundreds made by these two maestros when chasing a mammoth 406 against the West Indies at Port of Spain in 1975-76. Such was the impact of their performance that Clive Lloyd instructed his fast bowling battery to aim for the Indian players rather than their wickets in the next Test at Kingston, compelling skipper Bedi to concede the match rather than risk injury.

The series was lost, but does not take away too much from that team's intrinsic strengths. Apart from Gavaskar and Vishwanath, the batting included Mohinder Amarnath and promising youngsters Brijesh Patel and Anshuman Gaekwad. Kirmani too was developing into the finest wicket-keeper batsman of his time, and the famed spinners were still in prime wicket-taking form. At home, this team was to win everything over the next 18 months.

The absence of quality pace bowlers, however, was still acutely felt, and it remains a travesty of fate that Kapil Dev's arrival in 1978 should coincide with the fading years of Bedi, Pras, Chandra and Venkat. As it happened, Kapil teamed up with the lesser talented Dilip Doshi and Shivlal Yadav to provide Indian cricket with another interesting blip of success.

With Gavaskar at the helm, the all-rounder's brilliance found terrific expression in successive series' against West Indies, Australia and Pakistan in the period between 1979-80. The batting had been reinforced with the arrival of young Dilip Vengsarkar, and the victory over Pakistan was particularly sweet, coming as it did after the 1978 humiliation.

All these triumphs were at home, of course, but in 1980-81 in Australia, there was a glimpse of what India could achieve overseas too when Kapil Dev bowled his side to a famous victory at Melbourne to level the series. Incidentally, India had almost conceded this match when Gavaskar had threatened to walk off the field after a row with the Australian players. India's most comprehensive overseas win yet came in England in 1986, with Kapil Dev now captain and leading a strong squad. In a cold, difficult summer, the 2-0 margin showed not just how well the players adapted, but also how talented they were. The core of this side was virtually that which had won the 1983 World Cup and the 1985 World Championship of Cricket, only now more seasoned. Gavaskar's opening partner was the mad-hatter Srikkanth whom fast bowlers feared for his unpredictability. Vengsarkar's hundreds at Lord's and Leeds pitchforked him into world number 1 spot according to Delloites. Stylish Mohammed Azharuddin, warhorse Mohinder and the rapidly improving Ravi Shastri gave the middle order both class and heft.

In the bowling, the peerless Kapil had minor all-rounders like Madan Lal and Roger Binny in support to exploit the English conditions thoroughly. Chetan Sharma, Maninder Singh and L Sivaramkrishnan were the bright young sparks to round off a team that had interesting variety and balance. This team remained unconquered at home till the 1987 World Cup.

Many, however, would still consider Saurav Ganguly's team from 2000 to 2004 as better endowed, and perhaps with good reason. Ganguly's side beat Australia at home in a rousing series, reached the final of the 2003 World Cup, drew with Australia Down Under in 2004 before touring Pakistan where it won both the Test and one-day series.

This team had a superb line-up of batsmen all of whom have since become legends (Tendulkar, Dravid, Laxman, Sehwag, Ganguly), two world class spinners (Kumble andHarbhajan) and two fine fast bowlers (Srinath and Venky Prasad).

More important however, was the resurrection from the match-fixing scam which had been a lethal blow to the morale and prestige of Indian cricket. Ganguly first recued Indian cricket from demise, and then infused a sense of pride and josh that saw the team's fortunes make a fascinating turnaround that is now part of lore.

Nevertheless, the current Indian team is arguably the best balanced ever, and with perhaps the most positive mindset. Indian cricket has never had a shortage of talent, but never enough self-belief either, much to the chagrin of its supporters. M S Dhoni's squad is repeatedly showing that at least in this respect it is different from every other.

The talent is extraordinary too, of course. Sehwag and Gambhir form the best opening pair in the world currently, opening bowlers Zaheer and Ishant are almost worthy of similar accolade, the class of Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman does not brook any further discussion. Meanwhile Harbhajan is discovering new mettle in his off-spin. The bench strength in almost every department is of high class, and at the helm is Dhoni who is adventurous and astute in equal measure, but above all a fantastic man-manager. Is this then the best Indian team ever then? It promises to be, it can be, but only if it keeps winning consistently. There is much still to be achieved. Dhoni and Co can't rest on their laurels.