Former Australia captain Ian Chappell is mighty impressed with Team India and says its attitude under Virat Kohli's leadership to achieve excellence in Test cricket is exemplary for other nations struggling in the longest format of the game to follow.
India is currently not only the No.1 ranked Test side but also at the top of the World Test Championship points table with five victories in as many games at the start of its two-year league campaign.
"If Test cricket is to be a viable part of the game's future, the standard of play needs to remain high. Whilst it's true India - with a large talent pool, unlimited finances and the IPL - has a huge advantage, it's their attitude towards achieving excellence that should be copied by any team with an ambition to be the best," the Aussie legend wrote for ESPNcricinfo.
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India just recently completed a 3-0 Test series whitewash at home over South Africa.
Chappell believes the country now has a bowling attack that shall enable its dominance across the world in Test cricket.
"(Jasprit) Bumrah, when fit, the indefatigable Mohammed Shami, the vastly improved Ishant Sharma, and the pacy Umesh Yadav give India a quartet of fast bowlers that demand respect in all conditions."
"These pace spearheads, added to India's always capable spinners, give the attack a potency that not too many other countries can match," he further wrote.
"Slot a fit seam-bowling allrounder in Hardik Pandya into that group and India are more than adequately placed to cope with any conditions they encounter."
"A well-balanced bowling attack is the perfect antidote to any attempt to provide conditions that heavily favour the home side," Chappell added.
"With an enormous talent pool, young players gaining experience from mixing with international stars in the IPL, and the right selections, India should remain a powerful opponent for the indefinite future."
The great man also reserves special praise for skipper Kohli, who at the end of the series win against the Proteas said: "We've wanted to be the best team in Test cricket. As long as we keep working with honest intent, those things will follow." It is this relentless quest for excellence that stands the Indian captain apart.
"The other factor in India's ascent has been the shining example set by their captain, Virat Kohli. Always a player who wanted to perform well in all conditions, Kohli's desire for excellence has rubbed off on his team-mates and the whole side has the common goal of wanting to be the best," Chappell wrote.
However, at the same time, the 76-year-old is worried over South Africa's decline, which he thinks, is anything but a good news for Test cricket.
"South Africa's demise is ominous for the Test match version of the game. Test cricket is a great format, but only if the teams are competitive. Test cricket relies heavily on a good contest to be entertaining and exciting."
"Recent contests like India's triumph in Australia and the enthralling Ashes series will keep patrons fascinated by the game."
"However a plethora of lop-sided series or boring batting exhibitions have little appeal as a contest and will quickly lose favour with the fans," he concluded.
(Inputs from ESPNcricinfo)
