The Hindu : Sport : Consistency should be India's mantra

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Wednesday, Dec 20, 2006
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Consistency should be India's mantra

S. Dinakar

It needs to stonewall the likely home surge

Johannesburg: India's epic win at the Wanderers reflects the side's potential. A series victory of an extraordinary kind beckons. From here on, consistency should be the mantra.

There have been occasions in the past where India, following a brilliant one-off display, had allowed the opposition to sneak back. Great teams make winning a habit. India, a side with great names, still hasn't.

The side has a wonderful opportunity, though, in this African Safari to move into what some call the `zone.' In this territory, excellence is a constant pursuit, so is conquering peaks.

The Australians are what they are because they seldom take the foot off the accelerator. There is no drop in the intensity levels. The opponent continues to stay under pressure. It finally wilts.

The South Africans are bound to come back hard in Durban. And the conditions at Kingsmead could be even more challenging than what prevailed at the Wanderers. If the Indians can stonewall the likely home surge and aggression, it can take the sting out of the South Africans.

After worthy celebrations at the Wanderers, the Indians had a quiet team dinner. Some of the senior cricketers spoke on the occasion. The need to retain motivational levels was stressed upon.

The Indians had also earned for themselves a day of rest, some of the cricketers drifted into different parts of the town. Rahul Dravid took some time off for shopping in the giant mall close to the team hotel with his wife Vijeeta and 14-month-old son Samit. The skipper was relaxed, and he sported a smile.

He has what it takes to emerge as a great Indian captain. There is a hard edge to his leadership, beneath what some, without quite comprehending the man, say a soft exterior.

Leading by example

Dravid is tough mentally, is technically accomplished, and leads by example. His strategic brilliance, this could be seen in his field placements, and motivational skills came to the fore in the first Test.

As Dravid said, the Indian record since 2000 in major overseas Test campaigns has taken a turn for the better. The drawn 1-1 series in England (2002) and Australia (2003-04), the 2-1 triumph in Pakistan (2004), the 1-0 series victory in the West Indies this year, and the now the win in Johannesburg, augur well for the days ahead. The improving pace attack is a definite reason for the improving displays.

But the side has also faltered during the key moments of a series — in Harare (2001) and Jamaica (2002). In both these campaigns, India held the early lead. While Zimbabwe drew the series 1-1, West Indies rallied to win 2-1.

The next year, India ambushed Australia in Adelaide, but allowed the host to get level in Melbourne, and then squandered a gilt-edged opportunity for a series triumph in Sydney.

Tough task

India realises that comebacks in a three-Test series are not easy. But this is not impossible either. South Africa has accomplished the feat before.

But this South African side has chinks — a brittle top-order, a one-dimensional attack and a tendency to come apart under pressure. Perhaps, the host has enough firepower, but then, its pacemen have not hit the right length.

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