The Hindu : Sport : Kaneria asserts his class

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 19, 2005

Sport

Sport

Kaneria asserts his class

Danish Kaneria deserves considerable credit for the improvement detected in the Pakistan team over the last few weeks.

No man is truly tested until adversity has knocked upon his door. Any fool can remain cheerful when all is well in his world. Any bowler can retain his spirit on those days when everything falls into place.

By displaying spirit beyond crushing in hard times Kaneria confirmed that he is a cricketer and man of substance.

Repeatedly in recent months Pakistan's young leg-spinner has held his head high when a lesser man might have dropped his chin.

In Sri Lanka he whirled away for over upon over, ignoring the heat, sundry hammerings and the plight of his side. Here was a player determined to fight to the end, an unyielding competitor and a sportsman unaffected by the distractions that creep into struggling teams. He bowled till his fingers were as sore as a marathon runner's feet, and always he bowled with hope.

Even as they took a heavy toll of him the batsmen could sense that Kaneria might be beaten but could not be broken.

Exactly the same outlook could be detected down under as this eternally optimistic spinner tried with unfailing heart to upset Australia's formidable batting line-up. Not even the severest punishment dismayed him.

Clearly he has the phlegmatic outlook needed by a fraternity whose fate it is to receive more lashes than the most mischievous schoolboy. Doubtless he has the dream shared by every wrist-spinner worth a rupee, the picture of the batsmen bamboozled by the flipper, left floundering by a googly or else flummoxed by a flicked leg break that dips like a pursued swallow.

It is an image powerful enough to sustain the wrist-spinner through floggings too numerous to mention.

Respect of opponents

Kaneria was his country's most impressive cricketer on that doomed expedition to Australia. Whilst Shoaib Akhtar fell back into self-indulgent vacuity and others fell by the wayside, he continued bowling with energy and aspiration.

In short he carried the attack and sustained the morale of his comrades. He showed the same dedication and pride as had Anil Kumble on the same patch a year before and his achievements were even mightier because his team was losing and spirits were low. Reward came with a high tally of wickets and the respect of his opponents.

Kaneria did not play in the subsequent one-day tournament but returned refreshed for the Test match in Mohali where, once again, he bowled with unflagging effort and conducted himself in a manner befitting a true sportsman.

Every member of a side strengthens or weakens the outfit. Some contribute with strong performances, others help to inspire comrades. Plain as bread and butter pudding Kaneria brings out the best in his colleagues by the simple combination of setting an example and maintaining his humour in the roughest situations.

Joy in success

Not that he played any direct part in the splendid fightback that saved the first match of the series — credit for that goes to old-stagers and fearless youngsters — but the leg-spinner's importance to this Pakistan side goes beyond mere facts and figures. His joy in the successes of team-mates is unfeigned and his belief that no battle is lost till the last man has fallen helps distressed colleagues to see past current difficulties.

Kaneria has been in the thick of the action in Kolkata as Pakistan clawed its way back into the match. Although Abdul Razzaq bowled the vital spell on the opening day it was Kaneria who took the prized wicket of Rahul Dravid with a ball that turned more than expected. By stumps the visitors realised that they had a chance to spring a surprise, an opportunity seized upon by Younis Khan and Yousuf Youhana in their wonderful partnership.

Pakistan's youthful and enterprising tweaker has become an influential member of his national team. Admittedly his batting is somewhat speculative and his fielding is all feet and calamity but he has bowled with an application and intelligence eventually matched by his colleagues.

It is easily forgotten that not long ago Pakistani cricket was wracked with division and corruption as famous men wrangled and grabbed. More recently the younger batsmen have flattered to deceive. The time had come for good men to stand up to be counted. Kaneria has reached for the skies. Happily he has not been alone.

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