A lot has been said and written, rightly so, about one of India’s finest Test and series victories. The young Turks, with very little experience, coming up trumps over a seasoned side is stuff script writers dream of. Stories of prevailing over tough times, determination and resilience does warm the cockles of the romantic heart. However, the flip side of romanticism is that it obscures facts, which even the mighty Australians would have overlooked.
The youngsters that made up the playing XI at the Gabba were chosen by the selectors with an eye to the future. That they made the complete squad is because the wise men felt they have the talent and could, in days come, be a part of the playing eleven. And the trip to assist the senior side would have been a learning curve.
Most of them have had good exposure given that they have been a part of India A teams, mentored by none other than one of the GOATs of Indian cricket, Rahul Dravid. In that sense they weren’t complete greenhorns. Yes, the circumstances which pitchforked them into the thick of things was unusual.
There was bound to be some goosebumps, some nervousness playing on the big stage and the awe associated with it. Here too, as most of them have had a good run in the IPL, that might have had little impact. They have been rubbing shoulders with some of the big names of the game and handling pressure is not new to them. And about soaking up the pressure, who better to learn from than Dravid and a live practical demonstration from than Cheteshwar Pujara.
Their inexperience certainly played out in their favour, what with the opposition banking on their history to fuel their overconfidence. “Can’t wait to see you at Gabba, Mate” is one phrase lexicographers can propound to mean overconfident!
If one still feels the need for romanticism, then look no further than to the thought process. The youth these days are seldom worried about failure. Their sights are well set on the goals and they have the intense and an almost consuming desire to achieve them. So even as Pujara played the perfect foil in blunting the attack (his role can not be stressed enough), the youngsters built on it to grab their share of the limelight.
That today’s youth is fearless can be borne out by this small little incident. Glued to the TV set my sight constantly was on the numbers of overs remaining in the day, whereas my son, who is all of 22 years, was looking at the runs needed to win!
Random Ramblings of a Reluctant Blogger 
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