Cricket India

After the South African tour, India has already launched into another series, this time a one-day series against the West Indies. And India has already won the first two matches though narrowly. The main difference in the complexion of the team is that it does not have Sehwag and Yuvraj in the team though for different reasons and Ganguly is in, deservedly too. In the first ODI on a belter of a pitch at Nagpur, India piled up 339 for three aided among others by Ganguly’s 98. The pitch devalues the pretty knock played there by Ganguly but the pitch has aided Gambhir, Dravid and Dhoni in equal measure. But the pitch provided for the second match at Cuttack was a nasty cousin of Nagpur and proved quite unfriendly to the batsmen from either side.

Quite surprisingly the Indian batsmen failed –sadly the top order- to adapt to the pitch miserably. Ganguly, Dravid and Tendulkar failed to test the waters properly and gave away their wickets cheaply. They did not look like batsmen who have played more than two hundred one-dayers each. From there Karthik showed the way and his ability to play within one’s limitations enabled India to reach a score, considered unattainable at the end of the PowerPlays.

The margins were narrow in both matches and India does not look a well-prepared side, with the World Cup in mind. That applies to the West Indies also. Now only Australia has that look of consistency required of a champion. They are a strong side with the capability to come out of crises powerfully. No other side has shown, with the Cup just weeks away, the qualities to threaten the Aussies.

Pitches like the Cuttack one might provide India with a reasonable chance to upset the Australians but won’t it be a little too much to expect Cuttack in the Caribbean?

# posted by Upendra Varma @ 12:05 PM 0 comments links to this post

Various teams have moved into the World Cup mode by announcing their probables for the mega event. India has also has published a list of thirty players from whom a final squad will be selected. Along with that, a fifteen member-squad for the first two matches against the West Indies also has been released. Against the background of the venomous criticism in the aftermath of the Cape Town test, this team was a climb down on the part of authorities. Some of them were so furious that they would have chopped off some players’ heads had they the legal permission for that. But finally all the anger has boiled over and things are back to square one. The only casualty being Virender Sehwag. Sehwag to be fair deserved a break. I personally think no break of any duration is going to change his approach to batting. Back in his back yard, he most probably would have been back to his scoring ways. But it is only just that such waywardness gets some punishment.

Another decision the selectors have taken is that they have dropped some of the known-one-day preferences like Raina, Kaif and Mongia. I don’t know if it is justice on the selectors’ part to play some in the away matches and on their failure there, they are to be sacked and other players are preferred to enjoy the advantages of home conditions. What are we to do if these new faces fail? Will we go back to the dropped names for the World Cup?

Pathan’s trial continues like a mega-serial. The rope given to him seems to be too long. But even that has not helped him. It is surprising that with all the professional help available he has not been able to get back to his wicket taking ways.

Laxman still has not got into the selector’s good books even with all the endorsements from cricket’s bigwigs. And Kumble quite surprisingly has been rested for the first two matches at least. It is intriguing that a player like Kumble is rested now when our WC preparations are moving into the final straight. And they had hinted that Kumble was a more than useful factor in India’s one day plans.

Tags: Indian team for WI ODIs.Sehwag out

# posted by Upendra Varma @ 11:28 AM 0 comments links to this post

India could not overcome the setback of the third innings of the Cape Town test. The way Indian batsmen played as if they had forgotten their brief affected the team’s confidence to such an extent that most of their plans and their execution went awry quite miserably. The fifth day was a disaster for India. First, they were simply outmaneuvered by South African captain who sent in Pollock. That was a gamble, but an astute one. That was all Smith could have done. Its effectiveness was to be decided by several factors. It clicked and India was promptly put on the defensive from which they never recovered.  

There were quite a few mistakes in India’s strategies, besides the methodology adopted by the Indian batsmen in the second innings. Of them, the first and very important error was sending Sehwag to open in the second innings. The main reason why he was retained in the team was because of his match winning capabilities, the other being lack of bench strength. Once selected, his obvious place in the batting order was way down. He came at five down and contributed handsomely. Overwhelmed by the possibilities a good Sehwag knock would provide the team with, the think tank went overboard and did the foolish thing of sending him in as an opener in the second innings. What they forgot was they themselves were worried about Sehwag’s inability to handle the new ball in the South African conditions. Inspired by his first innings effort, they should have lent substance to their experiment by sending him in three or four down ie after the ball had lost its shine and perhaps some hardness. Had they sent him then, he might have put up a cameo knock enough in size to make the Indian score significantly bigger. Moreover another very important offshoot of that move would have been an, efficient, repeat performance by Dinesh Karthik at the top which also would have helped the Indian cause. That move alone would have made South Africa’s job all the more difficult.

Next was Dravid’s reluctance to hand the ball over to Tendulkar. Let us make one thing clear. Tendulkar always is a gamble. But on this pitch he with his deep leg breaks should have been worth a try. And he proved to be a success in the first innings by removing Kallis from the crease which ultimately gave India a tidy first innings lead. When he threw the ball to Tendulkar, the test had reached a stage of a no contest. They were away from a win by just a few runs. Even then he showed enough skill to remind everybody that things could have been different had he been brought in much earlier. Sachin Tendulkar is certainly better than a partnership breaker especially on such tracks. That obviously was a folly on Dravid’s part.

But more crucial than that was Kumble’s approach to his bowling. He tried for quite some time to spin the ball from the rough and quite obvious to all that strategy failed. In fact the pitch though it favored spinners did not add spite to the line Kumble persisted with. A finger spinner as was shown by Harris was able to turn it more disconcertingly. For Kumble who has built his bowling on his subtle variations on the foundation of accuracy, the rough patches were far too wide of the stumps. Harris could pitch the ball on them and make them whiz across. So could Tendulkar. But not Kumble. But that is not my point. After trying the round the wicket –behind the batsmen line, he should have, being a vastly experienced bowler realized that the conventional over-the wicket on the stumps line was worth trying for a few overs. There were rough patches in that area also.  Kumble could have got purchase from those areas and made the batsmen’s lives miserable. Instead like a man devoid of creativity or experience, he kept plugging on, pitching far outside the leg stump with little success. The Indian captain has to explain why such a change in line was not attempted. The South Africans who gave India a New Year gift in the form of the toss should be grateful that the Indians gave it back though in a different but much more gratifying way.

# posted by Upendra Varma @ 9:03 AM 0 comments links to this post

India has a long history of choking when it matters. Here at Cape Town also India after being in a position to bat the hosts out of the game got itself into such a tangle that South Africa only had to go through the motions to get them out one by one. They came, committed some foolishness and got out. After having reached a comfortable position of 90 for two, India worked its way to disaster and made a mess of an advantageous position.

There were a couple of umpiring errors which perhaps worked against India, the most important among them being the dismissal of Tendulkar. But even without them India had developed the art of self-destructing.  All that a player is expected to do is to show character, the will to help the team’s cause to the best of one’s ability. No one in his senses would demand a player that he should do such and such a thing. He can only be asked to try his best to do that. It was that element of character which was lacking in Indians’ performance yesterday.

But the error committed by the team’s think tank crowned the whole mess-up. I don’t know why they decided to play Sehwag in this test and why he was sent at number seven in the first innings. If there was a method behind that decision, then they forgot what it was. Let me make it very clear. Promoting a player to suit the needs or opportunities of a team is good strategy. But when one does such a thing forgetting all the background info that forced his demotion, such an action can’t be called strategy. The purpose behind that action was laudable. To get some quick runs and extra time to bowl some more overs was definitely a good idea. But the factors which forced the team management to protect Sehwag from the new ball were still there. They could have opened with Jaffer and Karthik and then could have sent in Sehwag at the fall of the second or third wicket. The ball would have lost its shine and he could have stepped up the scoring tempo. His fall followed immediately by that of Jaffer put India on the defensive. That double whammy might have leeched the confidence out of the Indians. Even the recovery act by Dravid and Ganguly did not put it back into the Indians.

Kumble has looked a little more effective on the fourth evening. If he can remove a couple of the top order batsmen early in the morning, then India may have a chance of pulling the chestnuts out of fire. For that he may need some sensible bowling help from Tendulkar and Sehwag.

The Indian collapse has ruled out the prospect of a draw unless it rains there. Just as a couple of early wickets would swing the match in India’s favor, a tidy little partnership at any bend of the innings would send shivers down the Indians’ collective spine.

# posted by Upendra Varma @ 10:42 AM 0 comments links to this post

The decider at Cape Town is poised ideally. Both first innings are over with India claiming a modest but probably crucial lead of forty one runs. The test at the end of the first day belonged to India. Though India was not in an unassailable position, it was expected to at least draw the test if no unexpected batting collapse and bowling failure did happen. At the end of the second day, India could not sustain the first day’s good work and could not take itself to a winning position. India, having lost its last five wickets for a meager few dozens allowed itself to be restricted to 413 and then let its rivals run away with a sound second wicket partnership.

It was at that point that the hosts had their best chance of tightening their grip on the match. But the partnership was followed by the dismissal of both Smith and Amla. Then a recovery by Kallis and Prince again raised the hopes of a South African surge. But then Tendulkar struck, by getting rid of Kallis who was immediately followed by Prince. At that moment, it became clear that South Africa which by its slow run rate contributed its share to a draw, handed over the upper-hand to India. But Boucher and Pollock kept the fight going and only their dismissals enabled India to manage a small lead.

But in spite of the failure of the hosts to manage a comfortable position by the end of the third day, the dicey situation means, in an ironical way, that the most possible result is a South African win. Yes, with two days’ play remaining ie 180 overs remaining, the team batting third will find it difficult to set a pace to its second innings and it will be almost impossible to decide when to declare. Its score should be big enough to prevent a defeat and it should have sufficient time-overs- to bowl out the opposition. That could always prove to be dicey. In an attempt to get into such a perfect position, a collapse is always possible and its correction could mean giving up the attempt to win. Sometimes even trying to save the match could prove to be very difficult from that point. The team batting last can decide if it has to go for a win or pull the shutters down. Only a wily pitch could make their job difficult.

Moreover India’s chances of wrapping up the test and the series may run into a roadblock in the form of injuries to its key bowlers, Sreesanth and Munaf Patel. If they find it difficult to run in hard and bowl with their natural rhythm, running through the South African second innings in less than 100 overs may almost be impossible. But all said and done this could be the best opportunity India may have to go past an insurmountable frontier. A win against South Africa in an away series might be the biggest confidence-booster to India in their campaign for the World Cup, even with the difference in format taken into account.

# posted by Upendra Varma @ 11:08 AM 0 comments links to this post

Indians must have been baffled by the New Year present they received from the curator at Cape Town. A flat track with low bounce that would put Delhi or Mumbai to shame! A bowling attack that looked quite ordinary because of the pitch and the absence of Andre Nel allowed India to put on a reasonably good score that might have already saved the test for it.

Dhoni’s injured fingers did not permit India to make more than one change in the team for the third test. Came Karthik in Dhoni’s place and the intended sacking of one of the openers did not come into effect. Instead India asked Sehwag to come lower in the order and brought in a totally unexpected change at the top. Upsetting the expectations of many, Dravid held himself back and inserted Karthik into the second opener’s slot.

Not much scope there for discussion as this Jaffer-Karthik duo helped India to put up India’s highest opening partnership against South Africa. Karthik and Jaffer in fact put on 153 runs before Karthik was sent back by a rather dubious decision. His half century exposed the weaknesses of the Springboks on such placid pitches. By that time Jaffer had got closer to his third hundred mark. From this point, Jaffer, Dravid and Tendulkar ensured India a comfortable position by draw of stumps. At close of play India had reached 250+ for the loss of the openers and Dravid.

This pitch with puffs of dust coming out whenever the ball hit certain spots even on the first day doesn’t allow you to think in terms of a South African victory. India also may be deprived of a win by the batting-friendliness of this track. To get twenty wickets might prove to be an uphill task for the Indian attack. But the ball has started to turn even on the first day. That and the dark signs of turn and bounce, must have a bearing on the result of the match as the hosts have to bat last. The fifth day at Newlands, if the signs hold good, may make Kumble look like a demon. If that happens, an Indian win can not be ruled out.

If Indians can comfortably come forward and block the ball down on this pitch where seam moment is a precious and thus a rare commodity, the South African batsmen can with equal efficiency  pile up a big score in the first innings, robbing India of the required time to have a go at the rivals a second time.

A good decision with a lot of commonsense and devoid of any panic has with the help of toss has put India in a strong position for the first time in this series on the first day of a test. A reasonable level of discipline on the bowlers’ part would keep the situation interesting. A significant change of gears by the Indian batsmen on the second day also could things more difficult for the hosts.

Tags: Jaffer's century, India in strong position

# posted by Upendra Varma @ 10:26 AM 0 comments links to this post

India has lived up to its reputation of being a very inconsistent team. After registering a glorious win against the South Africans in the first test, India sank without putting up the kind of resistance worthy of an equal opponent. This loss at Durban again makes one doubt if the first-test win was not a fluke.

But it was not because the Indian bowling again proved to be capable of causing discomfort to the South Africans in favorable conditions. It was the inability of Indian batting which prevented India from saving this test also or even winning it. The bowlers had laid the necessary foundation on which the batsmen could have built upon. Which they did not. And the saddest part of it all is that they had the least venomous track to bat on.

When Boucher said that they could pocket the test if they would get one and a half sessions to bowl at the Indians, many thought that it was only an attempt to put the fear of god in the Indian’s minds. But he knew what he was talking about. As they slowly came to realize that routine bowling may not get the Indians out, they mixed the short stuff with great effect. The Indian batsmen who initially had only to handle the extra bounce and seam, soon got their ribs and knuckles sore. And that prevented them from thinking in terms of a prolonged resistance. Look at Ganguly. They softened him up to such a extent that he attempted to hit his way out of trouble. His failure to play each ball on its merit was a miserable sight. He looked a batsman pulled out of a Plate division Ranji Trophy team.

Look at the way the Indian batsmen were dismissed in the second innings at Durban. Sehwag as usual played away from a ball that was taken away from him. Dravid and Tendulkar were beaten by inward slant, Ganguly by the extra bounce, Lakshman by the deep off cutter. Only Jaffer fell to an injudicious shot. Dhoni’s dismissal also was pardonable as he was playing the drive after having stayed at the crease for a long while. All this proves one thing. That the home bowlers were capable of squeezing out of the track more lateral movement and bounce than the Indian bowlers. They perhaps put more shoulder into their deliveries than the Indians or they know the knack of pitching the ball on its seam in such a way that it moves more. And this obviously comes out of regular practice on such tracks. Otherwise efforts by Zaheer and SreeSanth would have converted more good balls into wickets.

What I mean is that there is no clear cut superiority in batting either way but the hosts are aided by their ability to get more out of the tracks familiar to their bowlers. So what can India do to nullify this advantage? Not much except to show more determination to hang on to their wickets and put a stiff price on their wickets. But they can do one more thing. Do a little bit of tinkering with the team. The most obvious change might be Munaf Patel coming back in place of Vir Singh. But only if Patel is fully fit. Then for the more important move, go to the top. Sehwag or Jaffer? Both need a jolt. Jaffer for throwing away his wicket after having settled down and Sehwag who is unable to show the needed sense of discipline? What is to be done if one of them is axed? Can we play Gambhir who doesn’t like a ball go past him outside the off stump? Or should we take the risk of playing the untested Karthik as a batsman? Karthik even otherwise has a chance of playing in the third test as the wicket keeper if Dhoni’s injury does not heal in time. Reports say the pitch for the last test yields some help to the spinners. Does it hold enough promise to take the gamble of playing Harbhajan Singh, the second spinner?

I would retain Jaffer after giving him a reprimand for that foolish stroke quite uncharacteristic of him. A break might do Sehwag some good. Since Gambhir is only a junior Sehwag and it is better that India goes by character and not by flamboyance, I even prefer Karthik to Gambhir. But who will then open the innings?

Why can’t India open with Dravid and Jaffer, and have Lakshman, Tendulkar, Ganguly, Karthik and Dhoni follow them? (Dravid so far in the series found it much different from opning an innings.) I am even ready to take the risk of playing Sehwag in place of either Ganguly or Karthik down the order. If Dhoni does not play and Karthik is in the team as a keeper, then it could be Jaffer, Dravid, Lakshman, Tendulkar, Sehwag, Ganguly and Karthik  India is unlikely risk a two-spinner gamble since it would mean  giving up the 7-4 proportion..

Tags: India-South Africa final test

# posted by Upendra Varma @ 5:00 PM 0 comments links to this post