India must fight the good fight

At Hobart last month, Australia set Sri Lanka 507 for victory and were given a real scare as Kumar Sangakkara played the innings of his career, a sparkling 192 where he paid scant respect to Lee, Johnson, Clark or MacGill. Sri Lanka finished 96 short, and were left to rue the fact that there would be no third Test to try and exploit the frailties that they had exposed.

India will almost certainly lose this Test, but they must keep that Sri Lankan innings in mind with three games left to play in the series. Sydney offers perhaps the best conditions for Indian success, and over the next two daysd they must prove to Ricky Ponting and his men that they won't just roll over and die like the English and pretty much every other touring side have done over the past decade.

The bowlers certainly couldn't be faulted for effort today. Anil Kumble was tireless and full of guile, while Harbhajan Singh was far more potent than he has been in recent times. The one big disappointment was the new-ball bowling. Both Zaheer Khan and RP Singh were appreciably better with the scuffed-up old ball, and India simply can't afford to let Matthew Hayden and Phil Jaques settle as easily as they did in this game.

Jaques, whose seamless transition to the highest level is testament to the tremendous strength of Australia's domestic cricket, struck his sixth consecutive score over 50 before he was once again deceived by Kumble. And though Ponting suffered a rare blip, Michael Clarke displayed the twinkle-toed footwork and classy strokeplay that illuminated his debut in India three years ago.

Most worrying though was the withering contempt with which Hayden treated India's pace bowlers. With two spinners certain to play in Sydney as well, it's imperative that the two new-ball bowlers combine parsimony with wicket-taking threat. Australia's pace attack showed how it could be done in the first innings, and Zaheer and RP need to step it up in the next game.

When India emerge to tilt at the windmill tomorrow morning, the one man under most scrutiny will be Rahul Dravid. He was seldom troubled on the third evening, but he wasn't exactly motoring either. Against this Australian attack, attrition can only get you so far, and Dravid need only look at footage from his last tour here to see the benefits of a positive approach.

No man is more acutely conscious of the game's history, and his place in it. And though he may have felt left down and unwanted at various times over the past few months, there's no better time than this to prove the permanence of class.

Comments

[ga]

talk all you want - the Indians were just not up to it this game. Gots lots to prove next game!! Go aussies!!

[Phil]

It's a shame India's cricketers don't play with the same level of positivity their fans display.

The Sri Lankans, despite losing 0-2, demonstrated this by their fielding and running between the wickets. They were upbeat and seemed to gain strength from this.

India's fielding and running has been woeful and it's hard to see them applying sustained pressure needed to upset the Aussies. Ganguly in particular has lived up to the reputation Australians as talented but with the work ethic of a pampered prince. When will they learn?

[krishna]

Dravid wasn't troubled especially, but he was playing Stuart Clark so gingerly you'd think he was lobbing bombs. He clearly isn't enjoying opening, it's pretty bold of Kumble to tell a bloke who's made 9600+ runs that he must open. If the move works, it can be a great thing for Indian cricket, but that's a big if - well, I guess we'll know at the end of the series..

[Ottayan]

If India is to make history, this is the batting line-up to do it.

[Dileep]

All the positives are outweighed by the fact that India didn't even make 200 in the first innings. Against Australia, a first innings total of 400 is mandatory. Anything less, and you're on to a hiding.

[Homer]

If there is a slew of no balls and short pitched deliveries, it does call to question the role of the bowling coach.

As regards the match itself, plenty of positives for the Indian thus far - the ozzies not announcing thier team till the morning of the game, the more conservative selection in Hogg rather than Tait, Ponting's scores in both innings and the fact that Australia did not end up at 600/4 with 11 sessions to play.

And even with the total of 499, India must remember that it translates to 2.75 runs/over. And with temperatures in the mid 30's and low 40's over the next two days, India should aim to string together partnerships.. One decent partnership and you dont know what will happen - especially with the heat and a captain who hasnt had the best of outings :).

Cheers

[Dileep]

As Lee, Johnson and Clark showed in the first innings, the new ball is still one heck of a weapon to have. And frankly, you expect bowlers at this level to know how to use it. There's little excuse for a slew of no-balls and short-pitched deliveries. Bowling short to Hayden is as ridiculous as a mosquito landing in front of a fly-swatter. I mean, what are you trying to prove?

[avinash subramaniam]

nice. speaking of the new ball, harsha and slater were discussing a law that states, somewhat ambiguously like almost every law, that you don't HAVE to start every innings with a new ball. you think there's any merit in bowlers who can't quite handle the new ball choosing to open the bowling with a scuffed up older ball? hmm...that harsha is a wonderful, wonderful commentator. such a joy to listen to him and ian chappell after the searing incompetence from doordarshan.