Mohali Test, Day 2, Lunch
Tuesday, December 4, 2001

This was an incredibly crucial session for India - one that may well be forgotten if they win, but one whose importance cannot be understated. Anil Kumble and Deep Dasgupta did a fantastic job of giving India a strong foundation to build on, and must be commended for their effort.

I am especially impressed with Kumble. He's been around for the last nine years, and every time he's gone out to bat in a Test match, he's given his best. His wicket has always been dear to him, and he's tended to play with extra determination when the going has been tough. This has especially been noticable in recent times, when his bowling hasn't been getting him its usual rewards, and he has fought that much harder to prove his value to the team by doing well with the bat.

Dasgupta is a very exciting prospect for Indian cricket. He does need to work on his wicketkeeping, but his organised batting is just what India need at the top of the order. His temperament is impeccable, and I was especially impressed by his performance in the second Test against South Africa at Port Elizabeth, where his application didn't drop at all. Defensive batsmen tend to get emotionally drained after a while; I haven't seen signs of that happening with Dasgupta yet.

England's bowlers haven't been quick learners, like the Australians and the South Africans were. They were bowling on a fuller length, attempting to find some swing, and not too many bowlers in India succeed at that. They were pitching it on middle and leg, hoping to get a banana swing towards off, while the correct line would be to pitch on off and shape outside off; even if the ball doesn't swing, then, it would not be a hit-me ball. Matthew Hoggard and James Ormond must learn these lessons quickly; they cannot afford not to.

Sanjay Manjrekar, mainstay of the Indian batting in the late '80s and early '90s, was talking to Amit Varma.

More from Manjrekar
Back in the groove
Kumble's lucky strike

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd