Cricket's next generation will not disappoint

So, Ricky Ponting bows out from the stage on which he dominated as gracefully as ever. After the retirement of Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Muttiah Muralitharan and Sourav Ganguly, another cricketing legend have called it a day. Amongst these few legends, whose careers span more than a decade, Sachin Tendulkar, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Daniel Vettori and Jacques Kallis are still playing. But in the course of time they too will call it a day.

It's very difficult to fulfill the voids created by the departures of such players. You will struggle to find those marvelous hooks and pull shots that Ponting played; you will search for 'The Wall' and Laxman's silky drives or those majestic on-drives of Tendulkar. But will you remain stuck in time?

The planet of sports is an amazing place. It never offers dullness. The past of a sporting life cycle always spreads the colours of glory, but it never steps back to present us with exciting talents. A vacuum created by Sunil Gavaskar was fulfilled by another Mumbai batsman while the absence of a Murali has been filled with a maestro. The place has never remained empty.

If you are sad with the retirements of these legends who have been your inspiration for more than a decade then don't be upset, because cricket is creating future stars who are all set to catch your imagination.

South Africa are oozing with players of supreme talent. There's an artist named Hashim Amla whose wrists are wrapped in silk to refresh the eyes of the purists; in AB de Villiers they posses a sophisticated destroyer; Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel can make the heart race like a Allan Donald used to do. In England, a cricketer's ego is proving handy for the opposition. It's not destroying him, but making him a legend in the passage of time. Kevin Pietersen's egoistic batting is something rare in modern day cricket.

In India, you might not be greeted with a Dravid or Tendulkar but Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara won't let your hopes shatter. From the land of the unpredictable, Pakistan, a magician named Saeed Ajmal is there keep your life mysterious with a doosra, teesra and fizzing offbreaks. Moreover, the likes of Junaid Khan and Raza Hasan's guile and tenacity will hold your attention. The paradise islands of Sri Lanka are blessed with the likes of Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Akila Dhananjaya and Suraj Randiv. Even Bangladesh - though pathetic losers - are not short of sparks with the likes of Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Nasir Hossain and Mahmudullah there to command respect.

In the Caribbean, cricket seems to have got a new life. Refreshing talents are cropping up to bring back life into West Indian cricket. Darren Bravo, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Kieran Powell, Kemar Roach and Adrian Barath are the future of Caribbean cricket and look very promising.

You will stand up and applaud the leaders of the next generation who are fighters and lead by an example. These leaders stand up and face the toughest situations by delivering the goods for their teams. Alastair Cook and Michael Clarke are the leaders of the modern era who are adept to gel their team together with decisive match-saving performances.

Cricket has the players, shaping up into legends, for you to keep your interest in moving on beyond a Ponting, Tendulkar or Lara. And again, do not forget about the element of surprise from cricket as it has the habit of presenting us stars from nowhere. You might discover someone from the streets of Mumbai storming the cricketing world, you might get thrilled by the speed of an unknown rookie from Rawalpindi or from a don't-know-zone in Sri Lanka a magician might take you for a visit in the wonderlands.

Note: This article has been published in cricketnext.com today Cricket's next generation will not disappoint

Thank You

Faisal Caesar