The Hindu : Sport : Inzamam caps hundredth Test with victory

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 29, 2005

Sport

Sport

Inzamam caps hundredth Test with victory

By S. Dinakar

WORTHY LEVELLERS: The culmination of Pakistan's remarkable comeback in the Test series _ Lakshmipathy Balaji (not in the picture) falls leg before to Danish Kaneria in Bangalore on Monday. The visiting side won the third Test by 168 runs to square the three-Test series 1-1. - AP

BANGALORE, MARCH 28. At the Chinnaswamy Stadium that was a cauldron, minutes ticked by agonisingly on an emotionally draining final day of an engrossing old-fashioned Test that ended with just 6.1 overs remaining. As the shadows lengthened, the jubilant Pakistanis converged around captain Inzamam-ul-Haq even as Lakshmipathy Balaji stared down in dejection. The image said it all.

Amid mounting tension, versatile leg-spinner Danish Kaneria clinched a leg-before verdict against Balaji and Pakistan had secured a comprehensive 168-run victory to level the three-match TVS Cup series 1-1.

Inzamam, who had whipped up magic with the willow, capped his hundredth Test with a famous victory. Not fancied at the beginning of the series, his side without pace spearhead Shoiab Akhtar, had also bucked the odds displaying much fortitude and character.

While there was definitely some assistance for the Pakistani spinners on a wearing last day surface — a few deliveries did bounce and turn awkwardly — the Indians did not help their cause by resorting to overly defensive tactics after the run-out dismissal of Virender Sehwag in the first session.

India's failure

The failure of a celebrated batting line-up to last a day with ten wickets in hand, will come in for scrutiny and questions will be asked. The form of captain Sourav Ganguly, in particular, will be under the scanner.

The home side allowed the Pakistanis to dominate it psychologically, there were occasions when Inzamam, who rotated the bowlers intelligently in the decisive post-tea session, had seven fielders hovering around the bat, and in international cricket it is pressure that often opens up the sluice gates. As India got more defensive, Pakistan tried out a variety of attacking options, and they worked.

Anil Kumble, who had recovered well from a knee injury sustained on Sunday, remained on a defiant, unbeaten 37; this proud cricketer not only survived but was positive in his approach essaying some strong front-footed drives.

NOT AT HOME: Rahul Dravid's not so impressive record at his home ground continued with Younis Khan pulling off a smart catch. — Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

Virender Sehwag was adjudged the Man of the Series, and Younis Khan, the Man of the Match. Younis though walked the tightrope with his constant chatting in the close-in cordon.

While Inzamam led the side with imagination, his excessive appealing in the morning landed him in trouble with the match referee. Indeed, this was a day when passions ruled, with one side going for victory and the other attempting to hang on to the lead.

The Pakistani shouts were often vociferous with leg-spinners Kaneria and Shahid Afridi and off-spinner Arshad getting some purchase from the wicket.

It was a collective effort from the spin trio with fiery paceman Mohammed Sami keeping the heat on the Indians. Moments before tea, Pakistan appeared to have let the chance slip when Asim Kamal, at short-leg, failed to hold a dogged Tendulkar at 11 off a mean Sami short-pitched delivery. Kamal was inconsolable, Inzamam, on his knees, looked towards the skies in anguish and soon the players headed towards the pavilion.

But this was an evening when Pakistan came back hard. Sami soon bamboozled an otherwise confident-looking Dinesh Kaarthick with a fuller length ball that reverse swung, and India was breached again.

Tendulkar, who went past Sunil Gavaskar's tally of 10,122 for the most runs by an Indian in Tests, was snapped up at short-leg by a relieved Kamal off Afridi, who sprinted to covers to celebrate a significant dismissal. Today, he also bowled off-spin with an off-spinner's grip. Irfan Pathan, caught close in off his bat and then boot, and Harbhajan, picked up at silly point, offered some resistance as the Test entered the mandatory overs, but this was an evening when Pakistan could not be denied.

In the morning, it was a huge moment for Pakistan when Abdul Razzaq scored a direct hit at the non-striker's end from mid-on, catching Virender Sehwag, who had set out for a run only to be turned back by Gautam Gambhir, short of the crease. The dynamics of the match changed from this point and Pakistan could now afford to attack.

Gambhir, who had edged Sami to 'keeper Kamran Akmal on his overnight 19 only to be given the benefit of the doubt, was trapped leg-before by a Sami delivery that straightened — the television replays however showed he had got a touch. The southpaw's 52 included some crisp strokes and he is playing a lot straighter these days.

Things started happening for Pakistan after lunch and Inzamam's captaincy was exceptional. He decided to give Sami another fling from the BEML end and the paceman removed Gambhir. After Sami's short burst of 4-0-4-1, Inzamam threw the ball at the tall Arshad.

Again the change resulted in a wicket. Rahul Dravid pushed forward to the off-spinner and Younis completed a smart diving catch at silly point. This was a key strike for Pakistan.

Then, Inzamam brought Afridi on from the pavilion end and the leg-spinner, during his spell of 5-1-6-2, drilled holes in the Indian line-up. V.V.S. Laxman, stretching forward to a delivery spinning into him, was adjudged leg-before. Ganguly's miserable run with the bat continued when Afridi cleverly went round the wicket to the left-hander and castled the Indian skipper with a leg-break. The Indians had lost their fifth wicket for 135 and Pakistan was well on course for a victory.

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