The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : First Test holds the key

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Tuesday, Oct 05, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

First Test holds the key

By S. Dinakar

MISSING OUT: Sachin Tendulkar is likely to spend all his time in the dressing room in Bangalore.

BANGALORE, OCT. 4. Cricket is a lot about momentum. It's also a lot about confidence that only comes with winning, and winning consistently. This is precisely why the first Test often holds the key for the rest of the matches; especially in a series of less than five full Tests.

The psychological edge gained becomes a huge factor, for cricket is so often played in the mind. The seeds of doubts sown by a setback can hamper the natural ebb and flow of a side, and bouncing back into contention can be hard.

The Bangalore Test, the first of the four-match TVS Cup series for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, beginning on Wednesday, assumes much importance. Both Australia and India have plenty to play for.

It is particularly so for the visiting side, now led by Adam Gilchrist, for whom it can be a different ball game altogether in the sub-continental conditions, with the ball turning viciously, the close-in cordon in place, and shouts of `howzzat' renting the air.

Starting off well

From the Australian stand-point, starting off well could be crucial to the eventual outcome of the series; if the Indian spinners manage to grab an early mental edge, they could well dominate the series.

It can be argued here that Australia did score a convincing 10-wicket win in the first Test of the 2001 series in Mumbai, and then went downhill from there. It must be remembered though that Steve Waugh's men had India on the mat in Kolkata, and that the miracle of the kind that took place at the Eden Gardens probably happens once in a lifetime. Australia was within striking distance of conquering the `Final Frontier' before V.V.S. Laxman, Rahul Dravid and Harbhajan Singh orchestrated an astonishing and totally unexpected turnaround.

Things have been more predictable on other occasions. If India registered an historic series Test triumph in Pakistan earlier this year, the conquest had much to do with the side's resounding victory in the first Test at Multan, where India broke through a major barrier - scoring its maiden Test win on Pakistani soil.

Firm indicator

Travelling further back to the India-Australia series in 1997-98, the first Test at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium proved a firm indicator as to which way the series would swing.

India romped home by 179 runs, but the match was far closer than what the margin would suggest.

Eventually, it was Sachin Tendulkar's brilliant 155 in the second innings - when Shane Warne got the ball to turn and bounce from the rough outside the leg-stump, he pulled the leggie from a stance that was more square on - and Anil Kumble's clever use of a wearing pitch that settled the issue. The Indians went on to outplay the Aussies in Kolkata by an innings and 219 runs to nail the series.

Kumble, with all his experience, understands the value of a series-opener win. He said here on Monday: "The first Test of a series is always important. I hope we start with a victory. It will set the tone for the series."

After the 1-0 series loss to Imran Khan's Pakistan in 1986-87, the defeat coming at Bangalore, India has subsequently suffered only one Test series setback at home, at the hands of South Africa in 2000.

Again the first Test of the series in Mumbai, had a significant bearing on the eventual outcome. The Proteas held their nerve in a tense match to squeeze home by four wickets, and then blew away the Indian challenge - ironically in Bangalore again - by an innings and 71 runs in the second Test.

Interestingly, in the India - Australia third Test of 1997-98, the last occasion the two sides met at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, it was the visitor, riding on Michael Kasprowicz's incisive bowling in the second innings (five for 28), who won by eight wickets, although India had already pocketed the series by then.

The Australian stand-in vice-captain Darren Lehmann said the Aussies would like to repeat that victory in the first Test of this series, at the same venue.

On which way the wind blows in Bangalore, could well decide the fate of the series.

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