The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Adapting and succeeding in unfamiliar conditions

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Thursday, Sep 30, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

Adapting and succeeding in unfamiliar conditions

By Sanjay Rajan

Success for visiting batsmen on Indian pitches has been elusive. But Australian Matthew Hayden had a rollicking time the last time around. — Photo: V.V. Krishnan

Any cricketer's stature is determined by his success overseas. The ability to adapt quickly to unfamiliar conditions separates the great from the merely good.

Greg Chappell, one of Australia's finest batsmen, regrets not having come to India. "I'd have loved to master the difficult environs," he said.

However, only a few have met with any spectacular success on Indian wickets.

Among those who have averaged over 50 in India are five Australians - Allan Border, Neil Harvey, Kim Hughes, Norman O'Neill and Matthew Hayden.

Batsmen can be divided broadly into two categories: those `who know how to bat' and those `who can bat'. The ones to succeed in India naturally belong to the first category, for, to perform in these conditions - history reveals that some of the pitches presented have been dust bowls - one needs to simplify the art and science of batting.

The successful ones adapted to the conditions quickly, put effectiveness over elegance, and realised the virtues of playing forward in the subcontinent.

Striking resemblance

Harvey and Hughes were superb users of their feet. There was a striking resemblance in their approach to spinners - both were sound and positive - only that the former, influenced by Bradman, never played in the air; while Hughes was capable of it.

Some even described Hughes as the right-handed version of Harvey. They played in different eras: Harvey, widely considered the greatest batsman Australia has produced after The Don, toured India in 1956-57 and '59-60 and Hughes in 1979-80, as captain.

Neil, the youngest of the six Harvey brothers, played eight Tests (only 11 innings though) in India and scored 609 runs at an average of 55.36 with three centuries and two fifties. He batted at No. 3 in all the matches.

Hughes' performance - 594 runs from six Tests at an average of 59.40 with one century and five fifties - was the highpoint of the tour for Australia. It was India's maiden series victory against this opposition.

Among the aforementioned batsmen, only Harvey and O'Neill, who batted at No. 4, were part of winning teams - together in '59-60 (2-1). O'Neill was part of the drawn '64-65 series, where he missed out on most of the action owing to a viral infection of the stomach. His Indian record, though, is an impressive 416 from seven matches (eight innings) at an average of 52.00 with two centuries.

Like Hughes, Border was never part of a series-winning Australian side. Bill Lawry's team in 1969-70 was the last of the triumphant ones. Border toured India twice, in '79-80 and '86-87. The latter ended in a 0-0 draw with the series remembered for the Chennai tied Test.

The '79-80 series saw both Border and Hughes establish themselves. In fact, the two were involved in a 222-run third-wicket stand in the drawn first Test in Chennai.

Border's batting

Border's batting was about resource, application and courage. His greatness lay in the fact that he battled against odds, defied circumstances and shouldered responsibility as the senior batsman and skipper when the side hit a trough, the difficult mid-80s.

The left-hander played nine Tests (16 innings) and scored 766 runs at an average of 51.07 with two centuries (including one in the tied Test) and four fifties.

The 2000-01 series will also be remembered for Hayden's exploits.

The giant left-handed opener made 549 runs in three Tests at an average of 109.80 with two centuries and two fifties. Even Hayden, who has proved remarkably consistent since that series, might find it hard to repeat that kind of performance.

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