The Hindu : Sport : Negative mindset did India in

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 03, 2006

Sport

Sport

Negative mindset did India in

Well done Pakistan, wake up India, writes Bishan Singh Bedi

GRITTY SHOW: Kamran Akmal's century in trying circumstances came in for all round praise. — Photo: S. Subramanium

It has been a poor beginning for Indian cricket in 2006. Knowing fully well that cricket is a fickle mistress, we will be terribly unforgiving of our cricket heroes.

Beating Sri Lanka at home was not the real test after all. Great ability develops and reveals itself increasingly with every new assignment. Unfortunately, for Rahul Dravid, his fresh duty on the Pakistan soil was not so fruitful. Hence the leader comes under a national scanner. For a layman, any loss to Pakistan automatically becomes a disaster which is grossly unfair considering cricket is only an engaging sport. And Pakistan was better than India in the third Test at Karachi by many a mile.

Chance wasted

The Indians just failed to capitalise on the toss and then a superb early hat-trick by Pathan with Inzamam not playing and Pakistan tottering at 39 for six. India lost a great opportunity to go for the kill. For Pakistan, Kamran Akmal produced a gem worth many a great Indian reputation with the willow.

It is simply amazing how the much-touted Indian batting folded ever so tamely when the devil in the pitch had more or less vanished. But still, conceding a lead on first innings was indiscriminate charity. From then on, it was clearly a battle of commitment. The Pakistanis apparently had more of it than many big guns of India.

It seems the curator in Lahore and Faisalabad lulled the Indians into a false notion of a dead end draw. And this negative mindset was India's undoing, both while bowling and batting in the second innings of the Karachi Test. Somewhere along the line, there was a trace of smugness which was screaming for punishment.

Rude shock

The comeuppance was a rude shock for cricket fans in India who are now baying for the blood of the entire eleven. Rahul Dravid was not the first Indian captain to lose to Pakistan, nor would he be the last. But he would do well to know it is impossible to please everybody. Well done Pakistan, wake up India. — UNI

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