India euphoric after ascent to top of test rankings

MUMBAI, (Reuters) – Cricket-crazy India woke up to  banner headlines and a multitude of special television  programmes on Monday celebrating their team’s ascent to the top  of the test rankings for the first time.

“The Best & Brightest,” ran a page one headline in the Times of India, the country’s largest circulated English newspaper, with the sports page blaring “Onederful Tidings.”

India jumped from third in the rankings to displace South Africa at the top by clinching a 2-0 series victory over Sri  Lanka on Sunday.

“The euphoria over India’s arduous ascent to the Mount  Everest of Test cricket is perfectly understandable given the  craze for the game in our country as expressed in the cliched,  but apt, expression that cricket is a religion and its  votaries, the players, demi-gods,” wrote Mumbai tabloid Mid  Day.

India, a nation of 1.2 billion people, has the largest  global television cricket audience and is also the  international game’s financial nerve centre.