Vidharba
has been demanding a separate state for quite some time. We better go one step
ahead and give them sovereign status. This would mean that there will be one
possible explanation to Team India’s ruinous performance at the Vidharba
Cricket Association ground, “overseas conditions”. On a more serious
note, SA reduced the science behind ICC test rankings to a mere travesty.
The ramp up thus happened. While the Indians were bashing a bunch
of High School boys in the name of Bangladesh National Team, SA were engaging a
combatant English side. Intriguingly SA have stood to gain on both fronts. They
got Dravid dismissed even before the series began and came to India battle
hardened. Our selectors needed the services seniors and juniors alike to meet
Bangladesh. Badrinath was not worth a try then and was almost the lone bulwark
in the first innings now.
On an innocuous pitch it was an appalling display of batsmanship.
Seniors played like lords and debutants trying to be graceful even before they
got themselves anchored. For a change the protagonist was not the strip of 22
yards. Over 550 runs in the first two days and just 6 wickets will stand
testimony. No doubt it was another dead duck of a pitch. After all VCA does not
belie it’s standards!!!
For once Indian bowlers complemented the batsmen, by being equally
listless if not more and absolutely sordid.
Let us take the anatomy a little deeper.
Ishant needs a sabbatical big time. First lesson to the lad, long
hairs don’t intimidate batsmen but nagging line and length bowling does, even
if you are not tear away.
Gambhir got 2 very good deliveries and his reaction after
dismissal will saymore than what I intend.
Sehwag has gone too far playing the “natural game”. Let’s laud him
for his century and also crucify for throwing away the wicket. For Christ’s
sake, he is the vice captain!!!! Whoever said playing the natural game means
slashing till veins rip apart. SA would have known his wicket is just a matter
of time.
Nobody told him that Rome was not built in a day and 556 runs were
not scored in a day either. His shot to get out in the second innings when
India was following on is something yours truly would not hazard even in the
nets, neither front foot nor back foot and trying to carve away on the off
side. That is what happens when you are back after belting school kids from
across the border
No point in flashing the sword at Vijay when “India’s best ever
opener after Gavaskar” (please point your guns at Sehwag for this comment)
Gambhir shoulders arms. But he unquestionably lacked application and thought
test cricket means flicking around the pads to glory. He would do well to serve
Jacques Kallis in a few net sessions.
Sachin retains the same curly hair as when he was 16 but the
reflexes are certainly not the same. Agreed Steyn produced an outstanding
delivery in the first innings to him, it was full, there for the drive and
shaping away to the slips. Add to this it was real quick, nicking to the slips
was only inevitable.
He showed in the second innings why he has been sculpted to be a
cricketer and not just born to be one. Well cricket showed a few things too.
It’s a team game and even if you have the world’s most accomplished batsman in
your side victory cannot be taken for granted unless the team performs in
entirety. Brian Lara would be the first person to put up his hand and concur.
And yes we had captain marvel who had not seen anything close to
the quality of bowling that was on offer. Had he known this he would have
chosen to do a few ads and claim a couple of injuries too. One must say Saha
was a case of fait accompli to Dhoni (with all the injuries around) and being
true to his sub continental grooming he did what should not be done to quality
fast bowlers, planting the leg across. But these are flaws that are picked up
playing Ranji matches on dead surfaces.
Badrinath went about his job the employee way, grinded into a half
century and a century stand while the team was in shambles. He will quietly
feel at ease in his mind. What will also keep haunting him is that he did not
hold fort in the second innings, the very reason of him being in the team.
Let’s spare the knife for the moment
Zaheer Khan did show promise upfront but did not get the kind of
support needed to dislodge Amla and Kallis who seemed to be in a trance.
Harbhajan seems to have taken things for granted after Kumble.
Today all he needs is to loiter around in the ground to be picked up for the
next series. From his deadly combination with Jumbo to an ineffectual
performance on an undeniably friendly track, he gives a message that he has
been spared the rod way too long and spoilt as a result.
Mishra needs to be given some awakening pills before he is brought
on the field. No second thoughts that he went past the bat several times and on
another day he would have had a few scalps, but his awesome slowness through
the air is his undoing. Amla defends him in the ugliest way ever, but does that
each time without having to give a thought. Gets into a defensive stance and
waits for the ball, finally when the ball has landed places the bat on it. I
thought he was blessing the ball:-)
The writing is clear; Jumbo is being missed hard and sore. If
better sense prevails Pragyan Ojha would step in for Mishra at the Eden
Gardens. No prizes for guessing what prevails normally.
If all this was not deplorable enough, add another. MOM Mr. Amla
for a double hundred on a pitch that was laid for exactly that. In the truest
sense there was only one champion, Dale Willem Steyn for bowling all the
chambers of his heart out on a dusty track. Weird are the ways, the panel
works.
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