Its not about winning...but it is.

So we finally have it. A face to face between two teams that are practically #1 in the ICC Test rankings.

In fact, perhaps for the first time since these rankings became a bona-fide source of information, we have not one but three teams practically tied as the 'best in business'. Their rankings may differ by virtue of a few points here and there but call a cold-fish, unbiased cricket viewer from Mars and he'd voice that very little separates the top three ranked Test teams in cricket currently.

An overview of the three teams vis-a-vis their last home and away engagements against each other looks like a synopsis of the next Mission Impossible movie where there is no clear hero and everyone seems to be tangled in some sort of double crossing and oneupmanship over the other.

Australia were brought to their knees by Dhoni's men the last time they toured India. And previous to that, thanks to Steve Bucknor's Sydney-gate and the Indian suicide against Michael Clarke the bowler at a crucial juncture at Sydney, the Australians managed to win their home series. Australia may not appear to have a sturdy Test record against India, but that has always been the case. Having said that, Australia is back to its winning ways in the past year or so of Test cricket. It may not resemble the invincible Australian team of the early 2000's but is still the Test team to beat, without doubt.

South Africa drew it last visit India thanks to a fierce bowling effort at Ahmedabad from Steyn. They also beat India 2-1 in India's last tour to South Africa. Technically speaking they have been the superior team in head-to-heads against India in the recent time window. However the difference between the India of 2 years ago and now is a man called Gautam Gambhir at the top, who along with the irrepressible Virender Sehwag has managed to turn the Indian opening into a monstrous preposition for the opponents. The two openers from Delhi are currently the biggest headache for opening bowlers and since the past couple of years they have been bracing to partner in a long term script that is not dissimilar to the Hayden-Langer or Greenidge-Haynes one.

South Africa after a decade and a half of despair against Australia finally managed to break the shackles. Recent tugs of war between Australia and South Africa have revealed opponents of equal strength and will. South Africa insulted Australia 2-1 on their home soil, and Australia returned the favor by doing the exact same to the South Africans right after.

All in all, it seems that South Africa may have the tallest flag among these three nations, but very marginally so.

The disappointment for viewers is that the contest to follow in the next few days is short lived considering the consummate quality of the opponents involved. One would surely have hoped to see these two teams lock in a healthy 5 Test bout instead of a skinny 2 Tests series. The vagaries of ICC, BCCI and CSA.

India hasn't lost a single Test with M S Dhoni on the wheel, and he has appeared practically impossible to crack at home as a captain. Smith on the other hand has had a turbulent last 10 tests as captain, winning 4 losing 4 and drawing 2, but that takes away nothing from this doughty leader who comes out with a well charted plan for everything.

The contests of the series are already being plotted. The best openers in the world against the best pace-man in the world. A strong middle order full of adventure and sensibility against the Indian spinners on Indian grounds. The contest between the two sages of cricket - Kallis and Tendulkar, one keen to escort his team to the paramount Test ranking and the other keen to retain his. And finally the contest of wits and gamble between the dashing Mr. Smith and the unflappable and savvy M. S. Dhoni.

Unexpected heroics discounted, if the glorious players from both sides manage to stay and play even within the realms of  usual expectations, then this promises to be a good Test series. The only damp squib even before a ball has been bowled is that a paltry 2 Tests does not justify or conciliate a contest between the top rivals of Test cricket today.

Run Gautam Run

Gautam Gambhir is having the run of his life. 

Already the top ranked Test batsman in the ICC evaluation table, he missed out on equaling the great Don Bradman in the recently concluded second Test against Bangladesh at Mirpur. 

Bangladesh gave just 2 runs for India in the second innings to win the Test, and left Gambhir stranded for a shot at his sixth consecutive Test match with an individual century score.

Gambhir set off on a remarkable batting drive in October 2008, and is still running on top gear as I write this. 

October 2008, 15 months and 11 Test matches ago, was the last time that Gambhir failed to score at least a 50 in a Test match. 

Since the first Test in the series against Australia at Bangalore, Gambhir's string of scores reads like this:

67+104 ... 206+36 ... 19+66 ... 179+97(ouch) ... 72+30NO ... 16+137 ... 23+167 ... 1+114 ... 167 ... 23+116 ... 68+0NO.

A total of 11 Test matches, 23 innings in which he has accumulated 1708 runs with 8 centuries (almost 9) and 5 fifties at 81 runs per innings.

The reason for talking about this string ? Gambhir may have lost out on the opportunity to equal the great Don Bradman's record of most successive Test matches with a century score, however he is now in a tussle with another great for another record. Gambhir is now on the brink of breaking a relatively unpublicized but significant record set by Sir Viv Richards.

Sir Richards and Gautam Gambhir, both now have 11 consecutive Test matches with at least a fifty score in an inning. If Gambhir manages a fifty in the first Test against South Africa, he trumps this record.

Go Gambhir !