Border - Gavaskar Trophy 2008 : 1st Test Drawn

[rahul_parab2006]

Stonewalled in first Test


BANGALORE: The series against Australia was expected to reveal how close India have come to the World No.1 team, or how far they have to traverse to catch them. The first match of the four-Test series has not thrown any light. Anil Kumble & Co may have saved the Test but Ricky Ponting’s team will leave for Mohali with a psychological edge. But for an 80-run stand between Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan in the first innings, India would have been one down in this series. On Day 5 of the Test, Ponting displayed the real Australian brand of cricket by making a sporting declaring. India were asked to score 299 in 83 overs. It was a bold declaration as it gave both teams a realistic chance.

India needed Virender Sehwag to take the initiative but it was not to be. India closed down the shutters once the dashing opener was out in the sixth over. Strange really that India’s hopes cling on one player. Sehwag’s wicket was the much-needed elixir for the Aussies, who now sure of saving the Test, went after the Indian batsmen. Rahul Dravid’s quick exit gave Ponting hopes of a victory. From that point, it was more about survival than attack for the home team.

Some intransigence from Gautam Gambhir and Sachin Tendulkar and later from VVS Laxman saved the day for the hosts. Although Tendulkar failed to score the required 64 runs to surpass Brian Lara’s record, yet he batted long enough to ensure that India were safe. More than his 49 off 126 balls, his near three-hour vigil at the crease prevented too many untoward incidents in the middle. After he was out, Laxman, in association with Sourav Ganguly, completed the rescue job as India finished at 177 for four. India’s cause was also helped by a couple of breaks of over 60 minutes because of poor light.
With second Test starting in three days, India have serious issues to address. The first of course is batting. The Fab Four have had good hits in the middle but none of them looked threatening. Having gone with four bowlers, Indian attack did not have enough ammo to restrict the Australians to a small score. The other important issue is the form and fitness of Anil Kumble. The Indian skipper finished the Test without a wicket and a sore shoulder. He hoped to be fit for the Mohali Test but given his current form, does he become an automatic choice for the starting XI is a question he may have to ask himself. Going into the second Test, Kumble has a lot of worries and most of them are his own making.

Source : DNA India