Arjun Raja is a NRIOL featured sports columnist. To read about Arjun Raja, please Know more.
India were handed a humiliating defeat by Australia in the first test of the three test series at Adelaide being played for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India are the current holders though it appears this may change in the near future.
The defeat was just a continuation of the woeful performances of the Indian side away from home, a common phenomenon with most teams around the world, barring probably Australia and to certain extent South Africa.
If we look at the performances of most sides, we see a definite pattern of being tigers at home and easy meat abroad. New Zealand recently lost to India in India, but they had beaten India at home in January this year. Australia have never won a series in India for over 30 years but easily beat India in the first test.
At the end of the first test, the Indian press seemed to concentrate a bit too much on the manner in which Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed in both innings. They were iffy decisions to say the least, but the fact is that the Australians were far superior in all departments of the game. The Aussies are a supremely confident side now and continued their match winning form as shown against Pakistan earlier in the summer.
In the first innings, Sachin's departure was probably a big blow since he was batting at his commanding best at the time. Another couple of hours at the crease in the company of Ganguly would have definitely turned the match around, but that was not to be. At the time he was 61 and looking good for another hundred.
However, I feel India and Sachin in particular lost the plot on Day One itself immediately
... after lunch. At lunch the Aussies were struggling at 70 for 4 and then for an hour after lunch, Saurav Ganguly was inexplicably allowed to bowl in tandem with Srinath. Sachin had thrown away the game.
Ponting and Steve Waugh were not going to refuse gifts of such nature and they took advantage of the friendly bowling to lay the foundation of a massive partnership of over 220 runs, which meant India were always under pressure to save the match.
Both Waugh(150) and Ponting(125) scored brilliant hundreds, Shane Warne smashed a belligerent 86 and soon India were chasing a massive score of 441. In reply, India lost both openers early, Gandhi's lack of ability to play the quick, bouncing ball totally exposed by McGrath. India lost Dravid and Laxman as well for 35 and 41 respectively and it was left to Sachin and vice-captain Ganguly to rescue the situation.
They nearly did that putting on 106 to take India to 216 for 4 before Daryl Harper ruled Sachin caught of Warne, a poor decision. India slumped to 285 all out, conceding a lead of 156 runs.
In the second innings Australia scored 239 for 8 decl with Blewett scoring 88. India was left to score 395 to win or bat 4 sessions( 8 hours) to draw the game. As it turned out, the Aussies needed just 38 overs to bowl India out for a measly 110, thus winning by 285 runs.
Gandhi lasted 6 balls to score his second zero in 4 tests, the other on debut against NZ in Mohali a couple of months ago. He was totally out of place in both innings and would consider himself very fortunate if given another chance. But he is not to be blamed, since the wicket he plays on at the Eden Gardens in domestic cricket is a batting paradise compared to any wicket in Australia.
Rahul Dravid is putting a lot of pressure on himself, especially after the Aussie press quoted Waugh as saying that he was the dangerman. Dravid is not playing his normal game, and is a bit too watchful for my liking. This means he is curbing his natural shots and losing confidence as a result.
The batting order definitely needs to be altered. Gandhi looks out of sorts and could be replaced by Laxman moving up the order with Rahul, Sachin and Ganguly following. If Kanitkar makes runs against Tasmania before the second test, he could play if only to counter the leg spin of Shane Warne, being a left hander.
The bowlers did a fine job although they should have capitalised better after the horrible start made by the Aussies in the first innings.
India have a lot of soul searching to do, a lot of hard work and application is required if they have to do better at Melbourne on what will be a faster wicket than Adelaide in the second test starting on Boxing Day, Dec 26th.
To close this article, it will be nice if the Indian selectors are absolutely true to themselves and realise that we miss a certain Mohammed Azharuddin dearly...and for the sake of Indian cricket, the quicker he is recalled the better, as the man isn't getting any younger.
Brief Scores:
Australia 1st innings: 441 all out.
Steve Waugh 150, Ponting 125, Warne 86.
Venkatesh Prasad 3 for 83.
India 1st innings: 285 all out conceding a lead of 156.
Sachin 61, Ganguly 60.
Warne 4 for 92, Fleming 3 for 70.
Australia 2nd innings: 239 for 8 declared setting India a target of 396 to win in 8 hours .
Blewett 88, Gilchrist 43.
Agarkar 3 for 43, Srinath 3 for 64.
India 2nd innings: 110 all out
Ganguly 43, Ramesh 28.
Fleming 5 for 30, McGrath 3 for 35.
Australia won by 285 runs to go, one up in the best of three series.
India 2nd innings: 110 all out
Ganguly 43, Ramesh 28.
Fleming 5 for 30, McGrath 3 for 35.
Australia won by 285 runs to go, one up in the best of three series. Read more
- Arjun Raja in Dubai, UAEDecember 16, 1999
The views of this column are the author's own, and do not necessarily represent the views of NRI Online.For a listing of past columns by Arjun Raja, please Know more.
