Indians have their task cut out
The scorecards of both India and South Africa do not reflect the true nature of the pitch at the Wankhede Stadium
Woorkheri Raman
25-Feb-2000
The scorecards of both India and South Africa do not reflect the true
nature of the pitch at the Wankhede Stadium. Twenty-five wickets have
fallen already at the end of the second day's play, the majority of
which cannot be attributed to the guile of the bowlers. Ironically
there were a lot of wicket taking deliveries bowled without the
appropriate results. The Indians are tottering at 75 having lost half
the side and they have to really work hard in order to win the Test.
Tendulkar did nothing wrong in the first five sessions of the Test
starting from the toss. He had to play the familiar role of holding
the Indian innings together in the first essay and he did it with his
customary efficiency. Not even the most outrageously optimistic
individual would think of an Indian side sans Tendulkar. Despite his
fighting knock the Indians would have been embarrassed but for the
last wicket partnership between Agarkar and Karthik. Tendulkar proved
he was human in the second knock when he misread the in-ducker from
Cronje to be plumb in front.
The lack of confidence is highly evident in the Indian batsmen and the
over cautious attitude as a result is only putting the bowlers on top.
Dravid is still uncertain with regard to the right approach and the
team desperately needs him to play out of his skin to put India in the
driver's seat. Ganguly's dismissal was soft in the first innings and
he threw his wicket away after getting set in the second. His presence
was of great significance as he was playing his shots and the double
left-arm spin attack of the South Africans would have been nullified.
The knowledge that he had to get runs to stay back in the side made
Jadeja look really a shadow of himself and it appears that he will
once again be out of test cricket at least temporarily.
A strange feature of this match so far has been the success of part
time bowlers. Cronje and Kallis struck vital blows during the Indian
innings and surprisingly enough they were able to move the ball
appreciably. Tendulkar got into the act after the South African
openers, Gibbs and Kirsten put up a good partnership. The inability of
the South Africans to play spin bowling was exploited by the Indians
but the absence of a third spinner might have a telling effect in the
fourth innings.
Regardless of how the Test turns out from now on, the Indians have
really gained a good cricketer in Murali Karthik. His self-confidence
is a refreshing sight and he has done himself proud in the little time
he has played so far. He is the sort of cricketer to be nurtured and
his apparent confidence should not be misjudged as arrogance and held
against him. At the moment the team needs more self-confident
cricketers like him to provide the much-needed fillip. Karthik will
have a big role to play and has the chance of becoming a hero
straightaway if he can spin the South Africans out cheaply. Going by
the Indian second innings in progress, the spinners will have only a
reasonable total to defend.