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Another featherbed likely at Motera

Nandita Sridhar

India unlikely to play the extra bowler; Arthur optimistic of his bowlers’ chances

— Photo: K.R. Deepak

CANDIDATE FOR THE VACANT SLOT: In the absence of Sachin Tendulkar, Mohammad Kaif or Yuvraj Singh (seen with captain Anil Kumble) may get a look-in.

Ahmedabad: Teams have been criticised for not appearing suitably intense on the field. One fears a repeat of the same at Motera, where the second Test begins on Thursday.

It will not take much for the pitch to be vilified for its twisted sense of humour. Pitches now bear the mystique of exotic art, driving experts into despair.

The uninitiated would’ve believed it had a mind of its own.

The wicket at the Sardar Patel Stadium invites curious inspection. There is some grass on the pitch, which most believe will be religiously shaved. Curator Dhiraj Parsana said the grass would be needed to hold the wicket together but one doesn’t expect it to change character.

South African coach Mickey Arthur seemed optimistic of his bowlers’ chances on this wicket.

“The wicket here looks better and more even than the one in Chennai. Our medium pacers should come good on this track. Our left-arm spinner Paul Harris is good but under-rated. He stuck it out well in the first game and I expect him to do better here,” he told reporters after the team’s practice session.

Lofty standards

India’s tour of Australia has been unfair on this series. A certain standard was set then for Test cricket, which does not take into account the Indian summer.

As one has witnessed in the past, teams have shown a total lack of urgency in imposing themselves.

Captain Anil Kumble remarked wryly after the Chennai Test that playing five bowlers might not have helped.

“In hindsight, I would have played Sehwag and Rahul and had seven bowlers. That is something which we can think of, but at end of the day if there is something for the bowlers, four bowlers would have certainly taken the advantage. But it is something we can consider.”

Going in with five bowlers — two seamers and three spinners — would give India the best chance of forcing a result. There is a reasonable belief that an extra bowler cannot do what four bowlers fail to but an extra bowler on such wickets provides relief from the self-flagellating exercise.

India’s fast-bowlers will have to be rotated over the two Tests. There is always the possibility of a fifth bowler being under-bowled, but it is a worthwhile risk for what his presence offers to the frontline bowlers.

Despite that, the option of playing five bowlers seems unlikely since the team’s sense of self has been defined by its batting.

Should they stick to playing seven batsmen, with either Yuvraj Singh or Mohammad Kaif making it to the 11, then opening the bowling with Sourav Ganguly to accommodate an extra spinner might not seem as outlandish as logic would suggest.

Ganguly’s bowling lacks malice and a weapon, and relies more on the length, playing on the batsman’s willingness to risk embarrassment. It will suffice till the spinners are introduced.

Spin, no threat

But spin, purely for its sake, is not a threat on this track. The South Africans have shown considerable improvement in playing spin. Neil McKenzie and Hashim Amla’s footwork carried little of the awkward passivity of the past.

Their questionable defence makes it important to back the field set — Kumble consistently had short-leg and short mid-on and short mid-off for Harbhajan Singh — with the right line.

A decision on Kumble playing has yet to be taken. The captain strained his groin in the final day at Chennai. He showed up for practice on Tuesday, with members of the squad who had not featured in the Chennai Test.

Ishant Sharma, who looked reasonably sharp while bowling to M.S. Dhoni at the nets after the Chennai Test, will have to go through a fitness test on Wednesday.

“My only message is for the team to win. Whatever (the groundsman) prepares, we go and play on that. I am hopeful it will be an even contest between bat and ball,” Kumble had said in Chennai.

There was something about the wicket that drove most into blaming it, but the sides haven’t pushed themselves either.

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