The Hindu : Nehra shoulders a heavy responsibility

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 18, 2004

Sport

Sport - Cricket

Nehra shoulders a heavy responsibility

By G. Viswanath

Coach John Wright gives Ashish Nehra some special attention. — Photo: V.V. Krishnan

BRISBANE, JAN. 17. It's time Ashish Nehra proves his mettle. Regarded for long as a man with the golden arm, the left-arm seamer has completed his `rest and rehabilitation' period after he was stricken by a nagging ankle injury two days before the New Year in the third Test at Melbourne. Reportedly fit for the previous match against Zimbabwe that India won by seven wickets, Nehra has been declared healthy enough to play his first match of the VB Series tri-series here against Australia on Sunday.

Unfortunately, Nehra comes into the XI at the expense of the in-form Ajit Agarkar who tormented and tricked six Australians in the tri-series opener at Melbourne. Essentially a rhythm bowler with a whippy action, Agarkar followed up his 6 for 42 with a top-class first spell against the Zimbabweans at the Bellerive Oval, Hobart, before Sean Ervine carted him for two sixes to spoil his figures.

The Indian captain Sourav Ganguly said that Agarkar has a troublesome calf muscle that needs time for healing. According to Agarkar he has been carrying on with this minor niggle for almost four weeks since the Adelaide Test. As the tour progressed, Agarkar became an important cog in the wheel of Indian bowling. He sent down nearly 155 overs in four Tests and 17 plus overs in two VB Series matches.

Ideally, Ganguly would have wished for an Agarkar-Nehra combination operating with the new ball, but the Indian captain has realised that it is important to preserve Agarkar for the future, what with his team scheduled to play four matches over the next week. Evidently the Indian team management, forced to face the harsh realities of modern day cricket, doesn't want Agarkar's calf (landing foot) strain to worsen by fielding him in the second game against Australia. The Mumbai seamer will sit out for one match.

In the absence of Zaheer Khan and Agarkar, the Indian seam attack appears like a freshers batch even considering that Nehra has played 40 matches and taken 45 wickets. Laxmipathy Balaji has played three one-day internationals and Irfan Pathan two. The 24-year-old Nehra is a talented left-arm seamer who coach John Wright said two years ago has special gifts and the ability to bowl wicket-taking deliveries. But, meanwhile, Nehra has spent days and months recovering from one leg-related injury or the other.

Ganguly hopes for a qualitative change in Nehra's exertions with the new ball against a set of openers such as Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist who are capable of piling on the runs as well as the pressure on any rival.

Before his ankle injury put him of out action for 17 days, Nehra had bowled 101 overs in three Tests and at times looked a quality bowler, especially when he hoodwinked Steve Waugh in the Adelaide Test. The all time best left-arm seamer, Wasim Akram, remarked during the course of the series that bowlers coming off injuries do not go flat out straightaway because of the fear of being laid low suddenly.

After a two-hour practice session at the outdoor nets on Saturday, a heavy spell of rain forced the players to a second session at the indoor nets to face the `bowling machine'. The weather bureau has forecast showers until Wednesday so there is every possibility of the day-night match being affected on Sunday. Apart from the two century plus stands between Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar, Ganguly's fighting 83 and Agarkar's feat against Australia, Yuvraj Singh's fielding at point has been a highlight. He has stopped certain boundary shots and took a superb catch to send back Hayden.

Even after a week Ganguly rues India's defeat against Australia. "We threw that match away. We should have won it,'' he said while confirming that Nehra coming in for Agarkar will be the only change in the squad (from the one that played against Zimbabwe).

The Australians flew into the city after outplaying Zimbabwe on Friday. The Indians have so far bowled well to Adam Gilchrist who smashed the Zimbabwe bowlers. With almost everyone contributing to Australia's victory in the three matches it played, Ricky Ponting's team has truly run into form. Brett Lee, too, looked fresh and raring to go after being dropped for two matches. The Australians did not even bowl a no ball against Zimbabwe, which indicated how well they are disciplined.

The teams:

India (from): Sourav Ganguly (capt.), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Venkatsai Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, Hemang Badani, Anil Kumble, Ashish Nehra, Irfan Pathan, Laxmipathi Balaji, Murali Kartik, Amit Bhandari, Parthiv Patel, Sanjay Bangar, Ajit Agarkar, Rohan Gavaskar.

Australia (from): Ricky Ponting (capt.), Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, Damien Martyn, Andrew Symonds, Michael Bevan, Michael Clarke, Andy Bichel, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Brad Williams, Jason Gillespie, Ian Harvey.

Umpires: Messrs: Steve Bucknor and Peter Parker. Third umpire: Steve Davis. Match Referee: Clive Lloyd.

Hours of play (IST): 8.45 a.m. to 12.15 p.m. and 1 p.m. onwards.

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