Adelaide: questions asked, but...

Adelaide test was the perfect example that illustrated team india’s flawed thinking, unsound cricketing knowledge and the erroneous strategy borne out of them. Team India did not make it secret: “we would play to our strengths…we would like to post big score and put pressure.” Yeah, they put up big score, alright. Sachin scores 153 n.o, kumble and harbhajan rub on aussie bowlers and India score 526 in first innings. But what happens then? Four days into the test match, the aussies have turned it around and it was Team India that only could have lost the match. Team India did two things wrong there. #1 They took inordinate time to bowl out aussie. #2 They assumed that they could not lose the test match even when aussie are not bowled out cheap. Eventually, it required a gutsy shewag who scored 151 out of 253 runs (60% of teams score) to bail out India.

Team India unfortunately missed the services of RP Singh due to injury during the match. It only emphasizes the need to field at least 4 wicket taking bowlers in any test match. It seemed like Team India almost did not have a strategy against Aussie batting. With dhoni being a wicket keeper batsman and pathan an all-rounder, India could have easily fielded five bowlers any number of times. Instead they fielded five bowlers only at Adelaide and even then they had to drop an opener to field 5 bowlers in Adelaide. India’s middle order with big4 is bit inflated and in attempting to protect one or two of the big 4, Team India ended up with weaker bowling attack and make shift opening batsmen.

Theres no doubt, team India asked a lot of questions through out the series. Their batsmen sort of tamed aussie bowlers as the series progressed. Their bowlers kept the dreaded aussie batting line-up at a leash, if not a tight one. In spite of all, aussie emerge not only as 2-1 victors, but as test champions by a distance. Now, if Team India has learnt well in the series, they need to address two issues. #1. They not only need to field five bowlers in any test match, but they need to field wicket taking bowlers. They will have to realize that finding wicket taking bowlers would be a distant mirage when they go with less than 4 bowlers. #2. The middle order with big4 from no3-6 is swelled; neither does it allow even strong players like yuvraj & shewag into that middle order nor accommodate five bowlers easily (with dhoni at no7).

Lastly, the harbhajan-gate episode was not only a blotch on the series, but on cricket too. Twice now, BCCI and Team India have threatened to exit the series, if the racist charges are not dropped. Twice now, Indian players had a foot on aeroplane forcing ICC and Cricket Australia to do things that they would not have done normally. It was nothing but third-rate blackmail by BCCI and Team India. ICC and cricket Australia might have salvaged the series by succumbing to the ‘hijackers’ demand, but what about cricket?

Cricket was on her knees during this episode. Then she was slapped on the face, kicked on the stomach and beaten black & blue to disfigurement when ICC and CA yielded. My lord, have mercy on cricket; shes just gone lame and poor…permanently.

PERTH: AUSSIES DOWN TO EARTH

Ponting once famously said: “Aggression is not about body posture but its about the way one play.” Well, ponting definitely had a taste of his own medicine there. It was relentless aggression from Indian bowlers and batsmen and the aussies just caved in and surrendered.

The chief contributors for this victory are the bowlers and slip catchers. The pontings, husseys, symonds’ and gilchrists were gobbled up so cheaply twice in a perth test when Indian team had only posted just about 300 score in both innings. Its quite an astounding and brilliant effort. The ultimate tribute came from Ian chapel when Ishant sharma had ponting caught behind in second innings. He said something like this: “That’s fantastic spell by young man. He could have easily had ponting out atleast a half a dozen times.” On a fast and bouncy perth wicket, the edges off the batsmen would fly fast and at uncomfortable heights. The slip fielders were quite amazing; they caught everything that came on their way.

The Indian batsmen scored some vital points against aussie bowlers. Dravid’s 50, sachin’s 50 and laxman’s 50 were all innings that shouts the message: “the aussie bowlers can be tamed.” But shewag’s batting in both innings was attempts to conquer the morale of aussie bowlers. His cameo in both innings brought about run a ball 50 partnership in both innings which put pressure on aussie bowlers and made it easy for batsmen coming in. Shewag’s strategy is to take the team from literally a scratch to a safe score quickly. We know he plays outrageous shots, sends thunderbolts to the fence even before team reaches a safe score; say 50/0 or 100/1. His innings can be a make or break as he can sometimes succumb to pressure to take his team to safe score quickly. But what when he comes in at No3 or No4 say at 100/1 or 150/2. God save the bowlers!

Theres no doubt the aussies were completely outplayed and humbled. But there were some blemishes for Team India too. Captains, be it kumble or ganguly or dravid or azhar, have always spread the field once opponents lose say 7 wickets. This strange and stupid strategy was at its worst when Johnson and stuart clark were batting in 2nd innings. 4 fielders were standing on the ropes in the leg side with thirdman, cover point and midoff in the fence as well with aussies reeling at 260/8. A comment from Ravi shastri is worth mentioning here: “Looking at the field placings, you might think ricky ponting is playing at 180 not out but here its mitchell Johnson and stuart clark who are batting.” The sooner the Indian team drops this tradition and thoughts, the better the team would come off.

Let me sum this up. The aussies were outplayed and humbled. The Indians have not only shown that the aussies are beatable but that they are easily beatable. Kumble and his team have shown great character and promise. His bowlers have scored many kills and are on top. If Indian team is not going to build on this promise and advantage and if the Indian bowlers are not going to make further dents in aussie famous batting line up and if these bowlers are going to be carted around the ground the next test match, then the perth test is a fluke.

The Indian team would have managed to score so many kills with just 4 bowlers in perth, but it would require more than these four to score more kills against aussie batsman who would want blood in Adelaide. Kumble, do you have the courage and conviction to build on the promise and advantage that perth brought about? Or you would field 4 bowlers in Adelaide, squander the advantage, have your bowlers carted around the Adelaide ground, the fielders chasing the ball for most part of the match, still you sit on the laurels of perth achievement and keep saying for ever; “Look, we are the team that stopped aussies consequetive test wins.”

Sydney test and umpiring

Well, the aussies won the test by hair’s breadth. The OZ needed 3 wickets to win while India had to play out the last 3 overs for a draw. The pitch was assisting spinners; the ball was turning square and hopping. The Indian tail-enders had no chance whatsoever and were ‘spun’ out. But, the aussies would be the first to call it a chancy win. Though this is their 16th consecutive win, though they were the team that played for win on that day, though they turned it around even after conceding 69 runs lead to India, the fact that they would call it chancy; speaks about their understanding of game and excellent acumen to read correct the situation in any cricket field.

The test match was evenly poised till 3rd day. The fourth day innings by hussey, hayden and symonds took it beyond the Indians. Had India managed a draw on 5th day, they would not have achieved or gained anything. The aussies consecutive wins would end some time. But one can hardly think, by escaping with a draw, you can be a ‘worthy team’.

There were some umpiring decisions that went against Indians. Most decisions are keeper catches (outside edge and around the legs edge) which are difficult decisions for any umpire. Indian commentators and media have pounced on them as if the whole thing on foot in Australia is against team India and as if the results would have been any different had it gone india’s way. I mean whats the difference between a loss and a desperate draw.

The series started with great build-up of expectations. Captain, players, media and commentators thought India were a different team on planet than any other team that toured Australia, they though Indian team can put it across Australia. Two tests into the series, they have lost focus on India’s competency and ability to put it across Australia. Instead the focus is on umpiring and aussies’ arrogance (harbhajan issue). I wish I had some lollipops for these cry babies.

The Indian media and commentators have got it all wrong here. The spirit of the game involves many categories: theres team spirit, theres winning spirit, theres fighting spirit. A batsman who has not walked, though he knew he is out, displays excellent team spirit and winning spirit as he plays for his team and his team’s win. And when he goes on to score big, putting behind that incident (despite everyone on field knowing it) displays excellent fighting spirit as well. Instead, gavaskar & co chose to almost label them as cheats and as players whose integrity is suspect. It was nothing but display of lack of wisdom. The icing on the case was kumble’s comment: “only one team played in the spirit of the game”. I ‘m sorry it was an emotional outburst that was stupid and immature.

While the aussies would call this win chancy and would strengthen their pace attack (as it took to literally last over of the test match to bowl out Indians). That’s because they understood the match correctly. If Indians are going to say the umpiring did them in, then they are in for a white wash.

The MCG Maul

This isn't just a loss. Its mauling, pasting and murder. All these happened despite the aussies being quite generous.1. The melbourne pitch was lacking bounce and seam which should have aided indian strokemakers (?)2. The aussies generously let India almost bowl them out on a first day pitch. At 240 odd for 5, gilchrist and symonds could have opted for safety which would have left them at say 280 for 5. But they just didn't want a situation where India is on top even for a day. They went for broke probably 360 for 5 and untimely wickets ended 1st day at 347/9.3. The aussies could have batted for an hour more in second innings. Another 60 runs and an hour more would have completely shut Indians out of the game. Instead they set 499 runs in 2 days and 8 overs.Well, the indians lost not because dravid was opening, probably not because they went in with only four bowlers, but lost because the batsman were found wanting- for application and understanding of the game. Its not like there were not examples for them; The SL team were set target of 510 in recently concluded series against aussies and surely they didn't shame any of their followers. Sankakara scored a double century, jayasuriya 50 and SL came close to that 510.