ATROCIOUS AND OBNOXIOUS

In the second test at Trent Bridge, India is on the verge of registering only a fifth victory on English soil. Good batting by most of the batsmen and excellent bowling from Zaheer Khan has helped the visitors. But the bowling of Sreesanth was nothing short of atrocious.

The bowler from Kerala has been fined 50% of his match fee for shoulder barging the English captain Michael Vaughan. In South Africa Sreesanth waved the bat and showed some fancy dance steps in response to Andre Nel. That was something, which amused everyone. But the latest incident is obnoxious. This is similar to Roger Telemachus shoulder barging Rahul Dravid many seasons ago. In both the cases it was not an accident but deliberate.

On the first day, the bowling of Sreesanth was a parody. In his first over itself, he tried many variations. There were instances when the deliveries went so far as the third slip. Instead of concentrating on the bowling, Sreesanth took the path of a street bully.

I would have thanked the match referee Ranjan Maduagalle if Sreesanth were banned for the next test. That would have given another bowler a chance.

THE HEAT IS ON

Sachin Tendulkar was expected to score a 100 at Lords’. The second innings provided the perfect setting. India was chasing a big score and Sachin has never scored a century at the most famous cricket ground in the world.

But to the disappointment of all, Sachin fell early. The latest failure of the batsman from Mumbai has set the tone for a fresh round of debates and arguments. Kapil Dev has the view that Sachin has never done well in pressure situations. Sehwag feels that his one time teammate is not playing ‘explosive’ cricket these days. For a good measure, Sehwag argues for his style of play.

For a man who has played so many matches, it is difficult to turn in match winning performances in all. Cricket is a team game and only on rare occasions that one player is able to take his team to a win. There have been many occasions in the past when Sachin alone could not make India win.

But for the first time, things are real hot for Sachin Tendulkar.

This is what Glenn Frey sang

The heat is on,

on the streetInside your head,

on every beatAnd the beat's so loud, deep inside

The pressure's high, just to stay alive

'Cause the heat is on

NO REPEAT OF 1990

Andrew Strauss was hopelessly out of form until the Indians paid a visit. He came good in the tour match and nearly scored a ton in the test at Lords’. It is always surprising that batsmen in general and left-handers in particular relish the Indian bowling when suffering from bad form.

Dinesh Karthick grassed a simple chance given by Strauss on the first day and the carnage of 1990 was on the cards. In that test match, Azharuddin won the toss and put the home team in. Kiran More dropped a sitter and the beneficiary was Graham Gooch. The English opener went on to score 333 in the first innings and also managed a hundred in the second innings. Till today, the combined score of Gooch remains the highest ever in a test match. India lost the test by a mile despite the efforts of Azharuddin and Kapil Dev.

But this time round, Strauss could only score 96 and India was left off the hook.

TWO MANY WICKETKEEPERS

The first test was saved thanks to the rain and some gutsy display from two wicket keepers, Karthick and Dhoni. But did the team management err in packing the side with so many batsmen?

Dinesh Karthick has put up a commendable show in the opening slot. Dhoni looked out of place in the first innings when he guided a ball into the hands of a fielder. In the second innings also, Dhoni did not inspire much confidence with the paddle sweeps and streaky shots past the slips. But he did stay at the wicket long enough to help India’s cause.

It can be argued that Dhoni and Karthick were crucial to India’s chances in the test match at Lords’. But one of them needs to be dropped to make way for an additional bowler. It is of course, difficult to dislodge a batsman of the class of Kevin Pietersen when in full flow. It helps to have another option when one bowler is out of depths. In the second innings, Sreesanth did not cover himself in any glory.

I am of the firm belief that Dhoni should be picked only for the one-dayers and for the test matches Karthick is the first choice. If the test matches are played on home wickets with no bounce or seam movement, then it is wise to have Dhoni in the playing eleven.

THE LORDS' JINX CONTINUES

Sachin has scored a lot of hundreds and in different venues against all kinds of opposition. But a hundred has eluded him at Lords’. The master looked good in the first innings but a small score was the outcome. The second innings was expected to provide a special innings from Sachin.

India was chasing a rather tall order and Sachin was, on all counts playing his last test innings at Lords’. A well driven four on the off-side was followed by a defensive prod and the next ball Monty Panesar had him leg before the wicket in the second innings.

The latest dismissal is again going to spark a debate over the ability of Sachin to play left arm spinners. It is interesting to note that Sachin was also the first test match victim for Panesar.

Sunil Gavaskar could not score a test match at Lords’. It was only in 1988 that the Little Master scored 188 in the Bicentennial test between MCC XI and World XI. Now Sachin has to wait for a similar chance to correct the record.

RAIN IS THE SAVIOUR

The test match at Lords’ was expected to give India a good chance in view of the absence of key bowlers in the England line up. The ‘experienced’ Indian batsmen were expected to pile up a big score and put the home team on the defensive.

The Indian bowlers were impressive except for the first day. They managed to restrict the English totals to manageable proportions but for the shoddy display by the Indian batsmen. The first innings lead proved to be decisive with only the rain putting a spanner into the efforts of Vaughn and his men.

Rain has in the past, put paid to the efforts of India. In the last home series against Australia, rain in Chennai led to a draw with Sehwag in great touch. That win would have leveled the series. In 2002, a test match in the West Indies could have been saved if only the Indians managed to stay at the wicket for a few more overs. This time Dhoni and Sreesanth stayed long enough to let the weather goods shower some blessings.

The rain has reversed a trend that has hurt India in the past. The team has survived the first test jinx. Of course, in South Africa, the team won the first test only to lose the next two and the series.

It is time for the big guns to fire may be for the last time on English soil.

SAME OLD FAILINGS

The first day of India’s tour match versus England A was not something that offers joy to the fans in India. The home batsmen put up a good score and as usual the Indian bowlers were unable to take wickets. In the last match also Sussex players defended bravely to deny the Indians.

These kinds of bowling displays are not going to win test matches. Cricket, especially, the longer variety involves both the bat and the ball. In the past also, lower order batsmen of opposition teams could keep the Indian bowlers at bay and the matches that should have been won were on a number of occasions lost.

The continuing misery of Wasim Jaffer is sure to put the team management in a bother. Gambhir with the wishy-washy ways is not going to survive the swinging ball.

WILL LAXMAN MAKE THE CUT?

This tour of England is going to be remembered for a long time in the history of Indian cricket. It is not because of the possibility of India emerging winners; it is because a number of greats are surely on their last tour of the Old Blighty.

Sachin Tendulkar made his mark and his first century in test matches in the course of a match saving innings in the company of Manor Prabhakar. In the subsequent tours too, Sachin made runs at the most critical of moments.

Saurav Ganguly set the cat among the pigeons by scoring a hundred on debut at Lord’s. It was a knock that surprised all. The present Chairman of selectors was extremely critical of the then selectors picking the left-hander from Kolkata for the tour. Even in the last tour, Ganguly contributed significantly to the team cause. The hundred at Leeds after electing to bat on a seaming wicket was a truly captain’s knock. Even in the Natwest finals, Ganguly opened the innings in the company of Sehwag and set the ball rolling for a famous victory. However, in both instances, Saurav was overshadowed by his teammates.

It is difficult to speak on the achievements of Rahul Dravid. In his debut test, Dravid scored only 95. Those were the days when Dravid seemingly was unable to convert fifties into hundreds. But the last tour, Dravid made all the difference between the two teams as far as the test matches were concerned. The English bowlers could not breach the wall. The one-dayers also showcased the talents of Dravid.

V.V.S. Laxman has taken on the best of the bowlers with ease. But he missed out on the runs in the last tour. In between Laxman was not included in the squads for two World Cups and was ‘rested’ for some test matches. Never has been Laxman given the merit that he richly deserves.

In the match versus Sussex, Laxman made a half-century but there was disappointment in the first innings against England A. With Yuvraj and Karthick in the reckoning for a middle order slot, things are not rosy for Laxman.

It would be great for Laxman and for his fans like me if he makes the cut and scores runs. A failure would put a big question mark on his future in international cricket despite his enviable record.