Ian Chappell makes a valid point. India is short on great bowlers and its reign at the top of Test rankings is liable to be short-lived. Chappell has said that two champion bowlers are needed in any line-up to be a long-term successful team. History indicates that great Test teams have always had great bowlers.

India's ascent to the top became possible because of a curious combination of having great batsmen, luck and the decline of the Australian side that dominated Test cricket for over a decade. Never has India had such a great batting line-up. It also had a champion bowler in Anil Kumble who could spin out the best among batsmen for the best part of the 2000s.


He was supported first by the likes of Javagal Srinath and later, Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan. But they and the Fab Four could not make Team India the top Test team because Australia and South Africa had fine bowlers who could defend small scores. It's not just a coincidence that Team India's rise in rankings came after the retirement of bowlers like McGrath, Warne, Jason Gillespie, Alan Donald and Shaun Pollock.