Cricket and footballing powerhouses - where they meet

If we scan through the history of both major footballing and cricketing nations, some startling similarities start to emerge. Here is an attempt to draw comparisons between the powerhouses of cricket and football.

#1 Australia (Brazil)

The yellow and baggy green outfit. The consistency over 100 years. All matches up to Brazil. If 1958-1970 was Brazil's supreme period, 1996-2008 are the 12 years that Australia will be truly proud of. Both Australia and Brazil are going through a transformation period with their current crop easily the worst in a long time. The selectors of both the sides have always faced the happy problem of too much talent pool to select from.

The teams’ players have a larger than life image outside their country, too, and are always up for grabs in events such as IPL, EPL, La Liga, etc. Brazil lost their chance of re-establishing their supremacy when they lost in the 2014 FIFA World Cup semi-final fixture concluded 3 months ago at their home. With the World cup 2015 scheduled in Australia next year, what lies ahead for the Brazil of cricket?