The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Let's have a green top at Faisalabad

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 18, 2006

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Sport - Cricket

Let's have a green top at Faisalabad

There are many off-field factors in Pakistan cricket that need to be looked into, writes Imran Khan

Sadly for Pakistan, the dead draw at Lahore is an example of how not to fritter away home advantage. The Pakistan team were flying high, they had just beaten England, which had recently beaten the world champions, Australia.

They had also had bested England's highly successful pace battery in both forms of the game, and Shoaib Akhtar was bowling at his best.

If I were in Inzamam's place, I would have used the series win against England as a launchpad for my quest to become the best team in the world. And the first step in that direction would have been to ensure that we welcomed India's formidable batting line-up on green, fast wickets.

Instead, we got a flat track on which Virender Sehwag, who has become a bogeyman for Pakistan, thrashed Shoaib and company to all corners. India's reply to Pakistan was so resounding that it is clear that they go to Faisalabad with a psychological edge.

Back your bowlers

I hope the Pakistan team did not hear Inzamam at the post-match presentation. He need not have expressed disappointment over his bowlers' performance and I can only guess that his comments sprang from his inability to express himself properly in English. It is in such circumstances, after a run riot, that the captain and coach have to be extra supportive of their bowlers.

I was really impressed when Greg Chappell stood up for his hapless bowlers after the first two days of the Test. He said that they had tried their best and that there were certain lessons that were learnt, but he also pointed out that the pitch was to blame for the unimpressive returns his bowlers had got. Batting captains often rubbish bowlers when they struggle on dead wickets, and it's something that can crush a young bowler's confidence.

There are many off-field factors in Pakistan cricket that need to be looked into, apart from the Lahore pitch. I think the scheduling of the Tests was also faulty since it would have been better had the first Test been played in Karachi.

I believe the Indian board had some reservations, but that explanation is bizarre because it deprives spectators of full days of cricket. I am sure the Indians would have seen reason if weather conditions were explained and also if they were reminded that they had started their last tour to Pakistan, in 2004, in Karachi.

I also hope that the flat track was not an indication that the Pakistan board has lapsed back into the safety first mindset that prevailed in the 1970s. They must back their pace bowling strength and leave some grass on at Faisalabad.

Sure, the Indian seamers will also test the Pakistan batsmen, but if you want to win in sports, you must take risks. If they repeat this track in Faisalabad, they will leave everything to the last Test, and in Karachi, where it spins, anything can happen on the last two days.

As a bowler I did not relish the run feast we saw, but I could not help but marvel at some of the shots Sehwag played. For a bowler, he is the ultimate nightmare because he has this incredible technique by which he waits in his crease and does not move his feet at all.

The standout shot

His quick eye just allows him to hit the ball on the up. He was late-cutting even fast bowlers and it was quite amazing to watching him pick his spot for the endless boundaries he hit. My standout shot was off Rana Naved, when he hit a perfect good length ball for a straight drive. It went like a bullet to the fence and nobody, including Sehwag, moved.

The only negative from this batting performance is that none of the other Indian batsmen have had a hit. Unlike the Pakistan batsmen, who did well enough to gain confidence, only Rahul Dravid and Sehwag have batted for the visitors. This means that if a wicket falls early in the next Test, there might be some anxious moments for the Indians. That little worry apart, I think the Indians will go to Faisalabad feeling a lot more confident than Inzamam's men. (Gameplan)

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