The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : India not showing the stomach for a fight

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 01, 2006
ePaper

Sport

Sport - Cricket

India not showing the stomach for a fight

Allan Donald

The time for niceties is out and some plain talking must take place now. India is not showing the stomach for a fight and that's worrying. Too many soft dismissals are queering their pitch. It's only a matter of time before bowlers too would lose heart.

I could detect some keenness in the field, but poor batting is letting everyone down. Some of the decisions concerning batting don't go past me. I would never put Sachin Tendulkar at No. 3 and I very much doubt if he too prefers stepping down from the opening slot. Tendulkar could set the tone of the innings, and the opposition know it.

Wrong choice

I also can't understand why Dinesh Mongia and Suresh Raina haven't got a look-in again after the Durban match. It was a pitch on which even the best could have floundered. Ignoring them and bringing on the second wicketkeeper-batsman, irrespective of how talented he might be, is certain to dent the confidence of those who were chosen to shore-up the middle order in the first place.

Further, India haven't bothered to bring in at least one left-hander at the top of the order. There is same routine-ness about right-handers and consequently the South African bowlers are not really stretched into making adjustment in their line and length.

That's why somebody like Sourav Ganguly or Yuvraj Singh could have been of such invaluable help. I would rather have India look at this issue closely.

All is not lost yet but Indians are getting there quickly. It was important for them to show some gumption in Port Elizabeth for they were chasing a relatively easier target on a pitch of their liking.

Time and again they appeared as somebody who would rather be in the confines of dressing room. Fast bowling is all about striking terror in the hearts of batsmen and Indians at the moment are a terrified lot.— PTI

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport