The Hindu : Sport : Exciting game in store, finally

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 31, 2006

Sport

Sport

Exciting game in store, finally

Until India finds a genuine pace bowler, they will never be able to capitalise with the new ball, writes Imran Khan

It has been an eventful two days in the Karachi Test, and much of the excitement stemmed from the fact that 20 wickets fell in less than five sessions. However, the pitch now seems to have eased out, and the batsmen have regained some sort of control. The Pakistan second innings proves three points — the importance of specialist openers at the top of the innings, the fact that the pitch will offer less and less assistance to pace bowlers, and the fact that the Indians just do not have the firepower to make an impact on the opposition when conditions are not 100 per cent favourable.

Coming to the third point, I feel that until India find a genuine pace bowler, they will never be able to capitalise on a good start with the new ball. To put it bluntly, the Indians don't have the pace to worry batsmen once the juice of a new pitch disappears. This shortcoming has hurt Indian cricket for decades, and I feel someone like Ashish Nehra, who can be zippy, was missed when Razzaq and Akmal were scoring freely.

While India have a dearth of pace, Pakistan have an embarrassment of riches in this department, yet Bob Woolmer thought it wise to play Mohammed Asif and Abdul Razzaq instead of Umer Gul or Rana Naved. Razzaq could have stayed on in the side because of Inzamam's absence, and Rana or Gul could have come in instead of Faisal Iqbal. The defensive strategy has not cost Pakistan yet, but it could in the second innings.

Shoaib's contribution

Many may argue that Shoaib got just two wickets while Asif got four. I would say that the pace and bounce Shoaib got — he hit a batsman of Tendulkar's calibre on the head, and had the ball whizzing past Yuvraj and Ganguly — contributed to the success of the bowlers at the other end.

Raw pace is disconcerting, and when it comes with swing, it is deadly. When Shoaib swings the ball you don't have time to adjust, the likes of Zaheer, Pathan, RP Singh and Razzaq give you that extra second to adjust, and that is the big difference. This is why the presence of Gul or Rana would have made life even tougher for the Indian batsmen.

I have played on this Karachi wicket quite often, and it eases dramatically from day three onwards. India must take two or three wickets in the first session itself, or else they will be chasing leather for the rest of the day.

I think the Indian batsmen let off a good chance to get ahead when they negotiated the first hour of the second day well. Sourav Ganguly looked as good as any other Indian batsman out there. He was resolute and looked extremely determined right through his innings. It was unlucky for him that he had to pay for the first mistake he made.

The Pakistan team has begun well, and they should aim at setting the Indians a target of at least 400. The pitch really eases out, and the only challenge India face comes from Shoaib because he is the only one with the pace and movement to threaten this formidable Indian batting line-up. Some exciting cricket is in store for us over the next three days. Finally.

(Gameplan)

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