da bet esporte： The third day’s play at Bloemfontein has seen the Indian bowlers putup a much-improved display
Krishnamachari Srikkanth06-Nov-2001
© AFPThe third day’s play at Bloemfontein has seen the Indian bowlers putup a much-improved display. Javagal Srinath, in particular, wasimpressive, but with South Africa having gained a handsome lead, Indiawill have to fight the good fight if they are to get on top again.Many of India’s woes stem from the fact that the Indian captain andhis bowlers were unimaginative on a placid wicket on Sunday. After aheroic and magnificent innings from Sachin Tendulkar and VirenderSehwag, I had expected the Indian bowlers, who have usually done wellabroad, to rise to the occasion. But Ashish Nehra and Zaheer Khan, twoof the four frontline bowlers, disappointed hugely.Srinath, in contrast, bowled a good line and length, but then again, Icould not understand why he did not come round the wicket whilebowling to Gary Kirsten. After putting 379 on the board, Indiarequired quick breakthroughs, but Srinath’s hesitancy to come roundthe wicket meant that Kirsten batted with minimum fuss. The seniorSouth African opener went on to play another of his efficient inningsbefore throwing his wicket away to an uncharacteristically loose shot.
© CricInfoHerschelle Gibbs, for his part, was at his belligerent best. The youngSouth African opener has great hand-eye co-ordination and is one ofthe finest of natural stroke-players around today. If Sachin lent thesparkle on Saturday, it was Gibbs who shone on Sunday.A century partnership at the top of the order is always a huge boostto any team, and the fact that Gibbs and Kirsten have put on threecentury partnerships in the last three Tests has definitely helpedtheir side in posting huge totals. I cannot help but speculate howmuch it would help India to have a opening pair like theirs.With the regular Indian bowling proving to be bland, I was surprisedto see Sourav Ganguly take a long time before finally introducingSachin. The little champion is a minor magician with the ball and, asthe tri-series final at Durban proved, the South Africans also havegreat difficulty in reading him. On Sunday too they had theirproblems, handling the little champion’s brand of leg-spin. I onlyhope that Sourav shows greater faith in Sachin during the rest of thematch, for it might prove crucial on a pitch that is expected toassist the slower bowlers during the last two days.Talking about slower bowlers, India definitely misses Harbhajan Singha great deal. He was one bowler who could have taken the mickey out ofthe South Africans. The home team batsmen haven’t read him at all, and amazing bag of tricks and variations of flight wouldhave made a world of difference to the Indian attack.
© AFP Let me then move on to the most pleasant task of talking aboutSachin’s great innings on Saturday. India were in the doldrums whenthe little master launched his brilliant offensive. Even a singlemistake from the great man, and a total of even hundred might havebeen beyond us. But Sachin kept his head, used his imagination,finding boundaries where none existed. It was a clever innings, andonly the genius of the man made it possible. I loved the way in whichhe deliberately kept guiding the ball over slips and to the third-manboundary. If you were to ask me, I would rate this knock as hisfinest, even above his great knock at Perth in February 1992. The factthat it gave India a chance to win the first Test of an away seriesmakes it a very precious knock indeed.I also liked the way in which Sachin guided Virender Sehwag. It wasgood to see him welcome the young man with a smile. Sachin also walkedup to Sehwag at the right moments during the magnificent partnershipbetween the two, and the young man gave his idol an attentive ear.
© CricInfoSehwag’s hundred proved that he was a worthy entrant to the ‘redhandkerchief club’. The courage and concentration that he showedduring his first innings would have pleased both Jimmy Amarnath andSteve Waugh, founding members of and, indeed, on the board ofdirectors of that exclusive club. Sehwag has a reputation for beingone of the most attacking batsmen in Indian cricket, but the way inwhich he picked and chose the balls to hit showed a maturity andadaptability that was laudable in an young man playing his first Test.When the Indians play their second innings, all the batsmen will haveto show a similar maturity and commitment if we are to make ourelectric performance on the first day count. The South Africans havealready built up a handsome lead and will be hoping to build on it andpile on the pressure. The remaining days are going to test thecharacter of the Indians and their ability to save the Test, if notwin it.