Calm Post The Storm

Almost nine months since India clinched the World Cup 2011, international cricket has witnessed a sea of change. Change of captains for various teams. Crucial personnel have hung their boots. Debutants have taken centrestage and proved their worth in the international arena. 2011 has been a year where no one team have been able to declare supremacy. India, England, Australia and surprisingly Pakistan have had their moments, but none of them have dominated. As teams are gradually going through a transition phase, the right captains are being sought for.

Post April 2nd, eight of the ten test playing teams (including Zimbabwe) have seen a change in leadership. Only Dhoni for India and Sammy for West Indies have retained their roles 9 months since the World Cup. Both Dhoni and Sammy would are a part of their test teams purely as captains. They would've struggled to find a place in their sides based on purely batting, bowling or in Dhoni's case wicket keeping skills. In the ODI teams though, both have greater value. Dhoni, is a match winner for the team and Sammy makes up for lack of ground breaking skill with passion, energy and positivity.

Dhoni, post a dream World Cup, had a nightmarish tour of England. Having been blanked 8-0 in tests, ODIs and the only T20I, the captain was under immense pressure. Once back home, the team gathered steam against the same opposition and brown washed the visiting England 5-0 in ODIs with a team of youngsters in the absence of several seniors. The visiting West Indies got a taste of India's comeback abilities in the 2-0 test series defeat. Dhoni continues to back the youngsters and gets the best out of them. Seniors too have seemed content with Dhoni's captaincy.

Most teams have opted for a younger captain, whilst the veteran in team the plays senior mentor. Puzzling though has been the case of Sri Lanka, the World Cup runners up, where experienced campaigner Sangakkara retired immediately after the defeat in the finals in order to hand over the mantle to a younger captain. As events took turn, Tilakaratne Dilshan, who is older than Sangakkara was handed captaincy as it was felt Angel Matthews, the natural successor IMHO, was too young and inexperienced for the role. Logic would've dictated Sangakkara to have stayed on for a while more and groom Matthews or put the responsibilty on Matthews' shoulders like Kiwis did in 1996 with Lee Germon and South Africa did in 2003 by naming Graeme Smith as captain. Dilshan's reign hasn't exuded confidence up till now. Defeat in England in both tests and ODIs was followed up defeat at home against defiant Australians. Latest tour to the Middle East against Pakistan too ended in embarrassing defeats in Tests and ODIs.

While South Africa have opted for separate captains for the longer and shorter formats in Graeme Smith (for tests) and AB de Villiers (for ODIs & T20Is), England have gone a step ahead and have named three separate captains for the three formats. Andrew Strauss will continue to lead the test squad, Alastair Cook for ODIs and Stuart Broad for T20Is. While South Africa recently played a closely fought home series against Australia, losing the ODIs 2-1 and drawing the test series 1-1, England have had a dream run in tests and a horror run in ODIs. While South Africa will visit New Zealand this summer, England will play a rejuvenated Pakistan and a dispirited Sri Lanka in away conditions in the next few months.

It is never uncomplicated when it comes to Pakistan. Shortly after the World Cup, Afridi citing incompatibility with the Pakistan Cricket Board and then coach Waqar Younis, quit captaincy and announced untimely retirement from international cricket. Misbah ul Haq took charge of captaincy. Recent series win against the Sri Lankans must've given the Pakistanis a lot of heart. Youngsters taking responsibilities and veterans playing their role to the 'T', has been something Pakistan has been aiming for. In between these successes, former captain Shahid Afridi announced his return from retirement and declared his availability for selection for the ODIs against Sri Lanka. Selected he was and played match winning roles in the 4-1 series win.

For Australia, expectedly, Micheal Clarke has taken over as captain for Tests & ODIs and Cameron White for T20Is. Former captain Ricky Ponting still is a part of the Test and ODI teams. But the scrutiny on every performance of his increases as youngsters like Usman Khawaja and Callum Ferguson have been knocking the selection doors quite hard. Clarke's run up till now have been impressive and his personal form too seems to have flourished off late. His captaincy will be though tested against the visiting Indians later this summer.

New Zealand, since the World Cup haven't played much cricket. In captaincy news, Daniel Vettori announced retirement from the shorter formats to elongate his test career. Ross Taylor was named his successor for ODIs and T20Is. Their tour of Zimbabwe was marked by some good performances by the visitors and creditable fight backs from the home team. They have a tough tour of Australia ahead and they will be playing hosts to the warmed up South Africans later in the summers.

Bangladesh and Zimbabwe too have new captains after the World Cup. Shakib al Hasan and Elton Chigumbura have been replaced by dimunitive Mushfiqur Rahim and the enterprising Brendan Taylor. While Rahim hasn't had the best of times to begin with, Taylor has had an exceptional run. The team under him seems to have found the will to fight and he himself has lead by example in both Tests and ODIs. The chase of 328 against New Zealand in the third ODI recently showed that the team has enormous will to fight.

While the ODI sides have already begun targeting the World Cup 2015 in Australia, there is immense commotion on the top of the test rankings. England snatched the top ranking from India earlier this year. India & South Africa too are fighting hard to challenge England's recent rest domination. The next four months should make up for an interesting viewing as New Zealand & India tour Australia, Sri Lanka visits South Africa and South Africa in turn will travel to New Zealand. England's test match skills will be put to test as they visit Pakistan and Sri Lanka.