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A sad capitulation
Shivaji Sengupta - 26 November 2002
I was one of those people living in the US who had the singular
misfortune of watching the entire New Zealand-India first Test at
Basin Reserve, Wellington, on willow.tv. I had anticipated a
tough test for India, especially if Sourav Ganguly lost the toss.
But never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that what eventually
ensued would happen.
A wicket off the last ball of the second over; the second wicket
gone at nine; the third at twenty-nine. You might remind me of
India’s recent capitulation for 103 at Bridgetown, Barbados,
earlier this year. But, no, despite the lower total there, there
was something about the team's performance at Basin Reserve which
made it even more pathetic.
Virender Sehwag, Ganguly, VVS Laxman seemed to have no idea on
how to play the New Zealand bowlers, only one of whom Shane Bond
is a genuine speedster. The trio seemed to have feet cast of
lead.
What Rahul Dravid showed in the first innings, and Sachin
Tendulkar in the second, was that you got to move your feet. But
sadly the lesson was lost upon the others. Sehwag remained rigid;
Ganguly statuesque.
Now one can look forward to more of the same at Hamilton where
the second Test will be played. True, the groundsman there is a
sporting bloke he is preparing bouncy practice pitches too. But
can Zaheer Khan, Ajit Agarkar and Tinu Yohanan bounce the ball
the way the Kiwis do, with control and venom? And, anyway, our
problem all of a sudden! is batting. Can Sehwag, Ganguly and
Laxman score a few runs?
I have always admired the Indian captain for his tenacity.
Compared to Tendulkar and Dravid, he is almost pedestrian. But
when faced with adversity, he never gives up without a fight.
Even in that recent infamous Barbados Test, Ganguly scored 48 and
60 not out. Pedro Collins and Mervin Dillon, who had practically
overwhelmed the captain on a much more docile Test wicket at
Bourda, Guyana, were not able to do much on a fast pitch as far
as Sourav Ganguly was concerned. Still, when India’s second
innings had ended at Barbados, the captain departed not out, his
head hung low. He had done his bit; but India hadn’t.
At Basin Reserve, however, it was a different story. Ganguly was
dropped twice behind the wicket. Yet, like a man under hypnosis,
he slashed at a ball going away, and was caught. Third time
lucky, said Jeremy Coney, sarcastically referring, of course, to
the New Zealand fielders, but the irony was not lost on me.
So now, like their English chums a little distance away in
Australia, the Indians can look forward to a torturous tour which
will not end with the two Tests. Shane Bond and his cohorts will
make their lives miserable in the seven one-dayers. And even
then, the agony won’t end. Because from thence, it is to South
Africa to face Brett Lee and Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami.
Even the English will have their Joneses. Looks like Lance
Klusener’s famous pronouncement “The Indians are all right here
in Sri Lanka, but they won’t like the bouncy pitches back in
South Africa!”will come back to haunt.
The views expressed above are solely those of the guest
contributor and are carried as written, with only minor editing
for grammar, to preserve the original voice. These contributed
columns are solely personal opinion pieces and reflect only the
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