The Hindu : Sport : Attitude and approach, the positives from Kolkata

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Wednesday, Mar 23, 2005

Sport

Sport

Attitude and approach, the positives from Kolkata

By S. Dinakar

RIGHT SUPPORT: Indian coach John Wright and umpire Billy Bowden (left) have a point to discuss even as Anil Kumble gets ready to bowl at the nets. - Photo: V. Ganesan

BANGALORE, MARCH 22 . There were some definite gains for India from the second Test before the news of Harbhajan Singh being reported again for a doubtful action broke out. In a team effort topped by some outstanding individual performances, the biggest positives were in the areas of attitude and approach.

The side had appeared listless and without drive at Mohali. The Indians rediscovered the fire within in Kolkata where they were a busy bunch, wriggling out of difficult situations, rattled up runs at a healthy clip, and meant business on the final day. They were sharp, hungry, and, for a change, made short work of the lower order.

John Wright, who indicated once more that this could be his last series as the Indian coach, had urged the Indians to find the killer instinct ahead of the Kolkata Test. Wright's smile as he addressed the media here, suggested that he was happy with the side's desire at the Eden Gardens. "I never said we did not have killer instinct. I only said I wanted to learn more about it from the side."

The final TVS Cup Test at Chinnaswamy Stadium, beginning on Thursday, represents another challenge for India and Wright. Whenever Pakistan appeared to have roared back in Kolkata, India found the right answers. There were some brilliant `set-piece' dismissals from the Indians in Kolkata clearly and when Wright took over as the Indian coach, he brought with him, the key elements — planning and execution.

Rallying behind Harbhajan

According to Wright, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh's doosra still figured in the Indian strategy. "I expect him to bowl the way he has done in his 40-odd Test matches," he said.

He added that the delivery that drifted away from the right-hander was an effective weapon for the off-spinner. The Indian camp is clearly rallying behind Harbhajan.

The off-spinner's reaction expressing surprise at being reported again for an illegal action since he had only recently been cleared by an ICC panel was seen as normal for a bowler in such a situation by Wright. Harbhajan bowled during the Indian nets on Tuesday.

The surface for the third Test is largely brown and mostly bereft of grass. Wright said the pitch should prove a good batting track. As the match progresses, spin should be the king here.

Skipper Sourav Ganguly, often fielding at short-leg, marshalled his resources astutely in Kolkata. However, the captain's batting form, especially his uncertain footwork against the pacemen, remains an area of concern for the host. Wright, who said a couple of players could miss out in a high quality line-up, expects Ganguly to be among the runs here.

The Indian coach said while he was an admirer of Inzamam-ul-Haq's batting, the Indians would be seeking to get the Pakistan skipper out of the way soon in what would be his hundredth Test.

Bob Woolmer, Inzamam and Pakistan find themselves in a must-win situation in Bangalore. Coach Woolmer, who did not see the side's performance in Kolkata as a `disaster', said his side had actually lost the Test on the third day when eight wickets fell for 120 runs.

Woolmer's opinion

Dwelling on the doosra, Woolmer said Harbhajan secured all his four wickets in Kolkata with this delivery. He was of the view that a radical change was taking place in bowling since the batsmen were playing spin better. "Saqlain Mushtaq began the doosra and the others followed him," he said.

Significantly, he pointed out, "In order to get the wrist in shape, there is an element of elbow involved." He said it was up to the ICC to accept this delivery as a skill.

Pakistan's Shoaib Malik is also under the chucking cloud and Woolmer said, in the off-spinning all-rounder's case, `an elbow impediment' had to be taken into account. A second opinion would be sought on Malik's elbow and shoulder from the ICC review panel in Cape Town, he revealed. He sought to curtail the no-balling of his key paceman Mohammed Sami, but said since the front-foot rule came into force, the no-balling had increased twenty-fold in world cricket.

Woolmer was happy with Danish Kaneria's bowling in Kolkata, but said his leading spinner was a little under the weather due to a bout of dehydration at the Eden Gardens.

His plan for Pakistan levelling the series is simple - stop Rahul Dravid from scoring and prevent Anil Kumble from taking wickets. It is a simple plan but tough to execute.

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