Writing after India?s tame surrender against Australia, the difference between the IPL and the World T-20 is more than palpable. To quote Clive Lloyd, who put it eloquently in an interview to my colleague Ragini Kumar, ?While the IPL is an exhibition, the world cup is the true examination.? He couldn?t have been more accurate.
As the volunteers marched into the ground and the Tricolour hoisted, one, yet again, understood the cardinal truth- that nationalist sport is the mother of all sport. As the national anthem was played and India was on show before the world, it was a completely different sentiment that swept through the thousands of Indian supporters who made it to the Caribbean from different parts of the world.
And, after the mauling, which has left India with no option but to win its two other games to progress to the semi-finals, it is once again evident that while an IPL match is only an occasion to celebrate some interesting performances, a defeat at the international level is something that hurts badly. It hurts ones ego, pride and questions national honour. And, that is what MSD and his team will now need to defend.
Many say England 2009 was an exception when India failed to make the semi-finals, losing all its super eight games. Exactly a year earlier, it was the West Indies who knocked us out of the competition, thanks to an all-round performance from Dwayne Bravo at Lords. It is a repeat of that contest yet again, with both sides staring down the barrel with one sure to be eliminated come Sunday.
For the West Indies, an early elimination will mean that the cricketing edifice of the region is dealt a crucial blow and the hope of resurgence, thanks to a good world cup performance will blow into thin air.
Already, West Indian legends have started questioning the commitment shown by the current side and a loss against India might well mean that Chris Gayle loses his captaincy to Dwayne Bravo. For the West Indies the question that will surface is whether the IPL is more important than national duty and if the players are more interested in making the fast million than standing up for the West Indian cause?
Dwayne Bravo had already sparked off this debate when he had suggested that his primary loyalty lies with the Mumbai Indians and not with West Indies.
For India, where off-the -field antics of BCCI office bearers continue to threaten the visibility of the world cup, it is a match of unprecedented proportions. Indian cricket, its billion-plus fans and the folks who have invested millions into the Indian game, need this win more than anything. With Pakistan looking extremely unstable and with India facing a knockout, chances are this world cup will go down the same route as in 2007, when both these giants were knocked out at group stage, dealing the organisers a real death blow. For the sake of the competition, we need India to win.
A cricketing prediction is in order here, even at the risk of looking foolish once the contest is over. India is a quality side and the Australia game was an aberration. Frankly, Australia is history and West Indies is the present. Win it and the future is under control.
A billion-plus is watching if our 11 gods have able shoulders to carry the burden of their expectations. I?d put my money on them to deliver, for adversity brings out the best in champions and this Indian team, I?d hold on, is a champion outfit.
The writer is a cricket historian