The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : India should find inspiration from bright moments of Test

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Monday, Oct 11, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

India should find inspiration from bright moments of Test

Time does not permit the defeated Indians to spend long thinking about their performance against the Australians on that bald and lifeless pitch at Chinnaswamy Stadium.

It is the nature of modern tours that the next day is spent at airports and checking in to hotels. Perhaps it is just as well. India was comfortably beaten by an opponent missing its captain and depending on its pacemen to take the wickets. Instead the host must seek such crumbs of comfort that emerged in Bangalore and find therein the inspiration needed to produce a better all-round performance in Chennai.

At least the Indian tail-enders showed the pluck needed to rattle the Australians in the closing stages of the match. Indeed the younger element put up such a fight that the tourists had to wait till the penultimate session of the match before securing a 1-0 lead in the series. The Indians were left lamenting the combination of poor batting and downright bad luck that cost them so many wickets in both innings.

About the umpiring, it would be sufficient to say that both men had a happy time and the New Zealander's performance was wretched. But both men have also had good matches and doubtless their form will return. In any case it is no use dwelling upon the officials. India lost because it did not start playing till the third day and by then it was too late.

Youngsters show spirit

Despite the defeat the Indians must have been heartened by the spirit shown by the youngsters in the latter stages of the contest. Actually it was a good match for the younger generation. Although Michael Clarke was the right choice as Man of the Match, Harbhajan Singh could not have been far behind whilst Irfan Pathan gave further evidence of his skill and resolution.

Except the boost they gave to his confidence, Harbhajan's wickets in the first innings can be discounted. He did not bowl well and took wickets towards the end when the Australians were going for runs.

His performance in the second innings was another matter. Seasoned observers thought he bowled every bit as well as he did in claiming 32 scalps in the last home series between these sides. Certainly he showed the menace that had been missing — projecting the ball at the batsmen rather than floating it into the skies.

Bounce is Harbhajan's most important weapon, the ingredient whose absence renders Shane Warne much less effective in these parts. Warne was reduced to spreading his field far and wide for Rahul Dravid in the most negative display ever seen from the champion spinner. His strategy led to the dullest passage of play seen in the highest company since England bowled two feet outside Sachin Tendulkar's leg-stump in an attempt to contain him.

In his pomp, Anil Kumble also coaxed steep bounce from the most tedious of pitches. Since his shoulder injury, Kumble has not been quite as effective but he has lots of heart and sets the right example for the younger chaps. Harbhajan, though, is the man to watch these days. But his main fault is a tongue inclined to wag when it ought to be still. A quiet word from the match referee would prevent matters getting out of hand. Still, it is good to see a proud young man confronting the Australians. Bear in mind that the main advertisement shown during the local cricket coverage concerns a cream that lightens a woman's skin so that she can secure appointment as a commentator.

Pathan is a terrific cricketer. Primarily a pace bowler, he survived more than 250 balls before the Australians legitimately took his wicket. Amongst the Indian batsmen, the main weak point amongst the right-handers was the over use of the pad, usually a sign of faltering confidence. India's left-handers tended to nibble outside off-stump. Maybe Akash Chopra will be the man to turn things around. India tends to score runs when the openers survive the new ball.

Aussie pacers excel

Amongst the Australians, the fast bowlers deserve most credit. Between them they took 15 wickets on a pitch prepared to frustrate them. Glenn McGrath averages 15 (with the ball) in the sub-continent. Michael Kasprowicz is a fine performer anywhere and superb in these conditions. Until the last day these fellows bowled full and straight and the batsmen could not escape them.

India might have tamed one of Australia's outstanding players, but it did not tame them all.

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