Justin Langer: India's Unstoppable Rise in Cricket and Beyond
In a recent opinion piece, former Australian cricket coach Justin Langer shares his profound experiences in India, painting a vivid picture of a nation that defies expectations. He argues that while India may appear chaotic to outsiders, it is a sleeping giant rapidly awakening to conquer realms far beyond cricket, including business and global politics.
The Sensory Overload of India
Langer describes stepping off a plane in Chennai and being immediately engulfed by a wall of humidity and a symphony of noise. Car horns blare incessantly, motorbikes weave through traffic with multiple passengers, tuk-tuks dart unpredictably, and stray dogs roam freely. Cows, treated with reverence, drift through streets like pedestrians, adding to the unique tapestry of daily life.
He contrasts this with his home in Perth, where wide open spaces, clean streets, and a calm pace of life prevail. Langer notes that explaining India's sensory overload to friends in Australia is nearly impossible, just as his Indian friends struggle to comprehend the vast emptiness and silence of Western Australia. Both countries, he emphasizes, are extraordinary in their own ways, and he feels fortunate to have a foot in each world.
The Enormity of Indian Cricket
Beyond the cultural contrasts, Langer is struck by the sheer scale of Indian cricket. He highlights that Indian cricket is a giant, not fully understood by many back home. On the field, India often dominates world cricket, with matches against Australia becoming box office hits. Off the field, Indian private owners are acquiring cricket franchises globally, including in South Africa, the Caribbean, the United States, UAE, and England, with Australian Big Bash teams likely next.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) has emerged as the most powerful league in world sport, driving the financial landscape of cricket. Langer asserts that players' earning capacities today are largely due to Indian cricket's influence. However, what truly astonishes him is the breathtaking depth of talent being produced in India.
Astonishing Talent Pool and Production Line
Langer points to Vaibhav Suryavanshi as a prime example. Born in 2011, Suryavanshi was bought by the Rajasthan Royals at age 13 for 1.1 crore rupees ($40,000) and made his IPL debut at 14, hitting a six off his first ball. He later scored a 38-ball century, the second fastest in IPL history, and was named player of the tournament in the Under-19 World Cup after scoring 175 off 80 balls in the final, all while still 14.
In Australia, Langer notes, most kids that age are still exploring sports like footy or surfing. But in India, the production line of cricket talent is extraordinary. He visited Bharat Arun's private cricket academy, Coaching Beyond, which trains 65 boys and 25 girls full-time with world-class facilities and coaching. Arun revealed that India has 54 million registered cricketers aged 14 to 18.
To put this in perspective, Langer compares it to Australia's estimated 570,000 to 795,000 registered players aged 14 to 18 across seven major sports combined. This means India's teenage cricket talent pool is nearly 100 times larger than Australia's entire multi-sport teenage base. The competition to succeed in Indian cricket is fierce, with millions of kids dreaming of representing their country but only a few breaking through.
The Future of India's Global Influence
Langer observes that young Indian players are aggressive and skilled, driven by a desperation born from intense competition. In India, showing promise is just the beginning; one must be exceptional and relentless to be noticed, unlike in Perth where pathways to State cricket might be clearer for promising kids.
As he flew home, Langer reflected on his luck in experiencing both Perth's tranquility and India's vibrant chaos. He concludes that India is no longer a sleeping giant but an active one, with no signs of slowing down in cricket, business, or global politics. The nation's energy, passion, and scale are set to shape the world in unprecedented ways.
