As one year ends, it is customary to take an optimistic look at the next year and beyond. The year 2002 beckons and then there is the big event ­ the 2003 World Cup to be held early in the year in South Africa.

Zimbabwe in India should be a breeze but thereafter the course gets rougher. Let’s not get misled by the recent sub-standard showing of the West Indies. The fact remains that India has won but one and lost the other six contests in the Caribbean in the period 1953-1997. And if anything, the series in England could be a much tougher proposition.

In the new year, India’s first engagement is a series of one-day internationals against England which will be followed by a Test series at home against Zimbabwe but the main battles come after that ­ a tour of the West Indies followed by a series in England in the summer.

Zimbabwe in India should be a breeze but thereafter the course gets rougher. Let’s not get misled by the recent sub-standard showing of the West Indies. The fact remains that India has won but one and lost the other six contests in the Caribbean in the period 1953-1997. And if anything, the series in England could be a much tougher proposition. India’s overall record in England is woeful. Over the last 70 years, India have won only three Tests while losing twenty-two. Even when England were going through a lean period, they have beaten India ­ 1996 for instance. India have won only two rubbers in England, in 1971 and 1986, so the odds should be against them. Much the same can be said about the West Indies. They were not a particularly strong side in 1997, yet they won the five match series 1-0.

However that may be, there is little chance of the composition of the Indian team being very different from what it is now. Against the West Indies it would be ideal to have a balance of seam and spin in the attack. In England, the seam bowling should be strong and fortunately, the pace bowling scenario in the country has never been more encouraging. The inspiring deeds of Kapil Dev, the emergence of the MRF Pace Foundation and the National Cricket Academy and the inauguration of zonal academies have all been reasons behind the sudden emergence of worthy new ball bowlers. One recalls the gallant efforts of Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad on the 1996 tour of England and even if the latter is unlikely to be on the trip and Srinath will be in his 33rd year, the fact that there are bowlers like Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Ajit Agarkar and Tinu Yohannan around is an encouraging aspect. Utilily man Reetinder Singh Sodhi could also be one of the contenders for a place in the national side by the time June rolls around.

Over the next year or so there is not much likelihood of a change in the spin attack too. Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh and Sarandeep Singh should form the spin trio at least till the World Cup when it is almost certain that only two spinners will be required. As he proved in the series against England, Kumble at 31, still has a lot to offer, his woeful record abroad notwithstanding. Harbhajan, ten years younger, is still a very fine bowler while Sarandeep is not far behind.

The batting, meanwhile, looks even more settled than the bowling. A middle-order line-up of Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Venkatsai Laxman and Virender Sehwag gives the batting a formidable look and with the reserve strength consisting of players like Hemang Badani and Dinesh Mongia, there is nothing really to worry about. The opening slot has been a perennial problem and here the question remains ­ should Deep Dasgupta be persevered at the top of the order or should the job be shared by specialists like Shiv Sundar Das, Sadagopan Ramesh and Connor Williams? A related query here also pertains to Dasgupta’s performance behind the stumps which has certainly not been up to the mark. Young Ajay Ratra is a likely replacement and this fact alone should keep Dasgupta on his toes, forcing the latter to improve his keeping.

It can be observed that while there is scope for improvement in a couple of areas, by and large, there is not much chance for too many changes to the present Indian squad. Most of the players are either well established or young and promising and the cricketers listed above should form the nucleus of the Indian team right up to the World Cup in South Africa, to commence in a little over a year.

© CricInfo