India's next challenge, to become top Test team
India's next challenge, to become top Test team
India are currently at the second spot in the ICC Test rankings.

Nagpur: India won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a 2-0 margin on Monday and climbed to the second spot in the International Cricket Council Test team rankings.

So is India cricket's next superpower just like the West Indies in the 70s and the 80s and Australia for the last two decades.

Over the last decade or so; Australia have been beaten by other teams but none have run them as close and as often as India.

After winning the Nagpur Test, India have landed the knockout punch and moved within striking distance of taking over the No. 1 spot in Test team rankings.

"We have beaten the world champions over here. Now we have got be consistent. We have got to beat England now in the Tests series. We have got Pakistan coming. When we consistently win over the next one year then I will believe that India are the world champion. But we are very, very close to being the world champions," says former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar.

But it will be a big challenge. A generation of legends has already walked into the sunset and it won't be long before some more make way.

Those shoes will be hard to fill and the Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni recognises it.

"I think there is a big gap left in the dressing room which needs to be filled. I think it would be tough for the youngsters who are coming in their places to fill in. Instead they should just look to give their best and play according to their potential rather than filling in their space," says Dhoni.

But India have the raw material to chart a brave new era of dominance.

They have a bowling attack that appears to have the ability to rattle the opposition in all conditions and some emerging new batsmen such as Gautam Gambhir and the impressive leadership of Dhoni.

"He has got that extra bit of luck that you require in captaincy. But he will tested when India goes overseas and I am sure he will live up to it. If the boys around him play well he will definitely live up to it because I have always believed that a captain is as good as his team," says Sourav Ganguly, who retired from international cricket after the Nagpur Test, about Dhoni.

As the Indian dressing room quietens with some star players retiring, a new generation of players is ready to take over and take the great legacy forward.

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