The Hindu : Sport : No room for complacency

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 13, 2006

Sport

Sport

No room for complacency

The fielding in Pindi was better. But there is always room for improvement, writes Bishan Singh Bedi

There is seldom anything called blessing in disguise in any form of cricket. Inzamam's decision to bat first was no gamble. It was a move based on the calculation that not many teams have chased anything above 250 at Rawalpindi. However, Rahul Dravid's team was slightly more determined in squaring the one-day series.

In full potential, Indians are definitely better than their hosts. By naming Powar as super-sub, Rahul had made his intentions clear of fielding first. Inzy simply fell into a trap of his own making. Pakistan minus a couple of bowlers are not quite a match winning attack. Certainly not when Sachin and Sehwag are willing to bat sensibly.

Not all chance

Just about everything fell in place for Rahul and his lads. Let me assure you it was not all chance. There were some concentrated efforts from Dravid, Yuvraj and Pathan. If five of the main nucleus click, more than half the job is done. Dravid is very good at finishing the job and in Yuvraj he found an ever improving youngster.

There is no reason for the visitors to get carried away. A couple of lacunas still persist — loose cricket by Agarkar and Zaheer. The fielding in Pindi was better. But there is always room for improvement.

The series is delicately poised with the home team in a bit of a quandary. Two day-night matches in Lahore will be significant purely from the role of the dew effect. Somehow, I cannot figure out why Inzamam is averse to playing on a green surface. It is really amazing that Pakistan's batting strength should be shy of the mild swing of Pathan and Sreesanth.

Get Kumble back

I really hope that Powar gets a couple of games before returning home. He deserves a good look in. I would be happier to see Kumble back in the scheme of things. A more committed cricketer than Kumble would be hard to find.

More importantly Kumble can guide Rahul at crucial moments on the field. If Rahul has batted well himself then his handling of his bowlers can be inspiring. Otherwise Rahul becomes a bit of loner on the field. Doesn't lose his cool though he simply gives the impression of lack of ideas at times.

Two bowlers — Sachin and Sehwag — must bowl a lot in the nets to give Rahul solid options. Why even Yuvraj rolls his arms to sharpen the over-rate.

I am afraid this power play and super-sub is a nauseating experience. On Saturday it was 11 Indians vs 12 Pakistanis. That can't be right cricket thinking surely. — UNI

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