Audacious Yet Judicious

It is an ominous sign that India is scaling 350 on theboard and yet quite a few of their key batsmen are out of form: Sachin Tendulkar,Saurav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif have all not been amongst runs.To the largely two-faced Indian batting of Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid hasbeen added the third dimension of Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

This boy won points on all counts: technique andtemperament; daring and fitness. He withstood some sharp tongue-lashing from thePakistan bowlers and then unfolded a searing range of strokeplay.

It was audacious yet judicious; his willingness to hitwas matched in equal by his desire to stay long at the crease. And let's notforget his keeping which was equally brilliant: the leg-side catch; the nearstumpings of Shoaib Malik and Yousuf Youhana; the low catch of Rana Naved-ulHasan. India has unearthed a serious talent who would add balance and energy tothe side.

In promoting Dhoni to number three, India seems keen to invest in future.Pakistan, on the other hand, is still carrying on with its 'life members'. It isnow the eighth match in row when they have failed to find an answer to VirenderSehwag. He's smashing them at will, he could wristily flick the same delivery tothe mid-wicket fence which, if his mood takes over, he is steering through thevacant third man.

Mohammad Sami, Naved and Abdul Razzaq are meat anddrink to him; their threat to him is no bigger than that of a water-pistol. He'sroasting them over the coals; yet the bowlers are not even seen attemptingsomething different. They come, pay their dues, and turn up at the appointedhour in the next match to do it all over again!

Yet they are being persisted with. There is no attemptto confront Sehwag with some unknown element. Once he sets the tone and tenor ofinnings, on flat wickets, India brook no stopping.

It's some wonder that Ganguly and the rest haven'tfeasted on the pop-gun attack yet. The Indian captain was out to a straightball, it shows when the time is bad even simple deliveries can claim your scalp.Ganguly should either take his chances from the word go or he should block andtake singles till his confidence is restored. At the moment, nothing ishappening.

In one-day matches in the sub-continent, in teamspacked with batsmen and all-rounders, any total is possible and any target isachievable. Only teams which have discipline and bowlers who can take wicketshave a future.

Pakistan need incisive bowlers. At present, nobody seems capable. Danish Kaneriais a must for the next game. So is Shahid Nazir for Sami bowling to Sehwag isbeginning to look like a free lunch.

The less said about the Pakistan batting the better.Let's look at the batsmen and the manner they got out: Shahid Afridi, SalmanButt, Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez. They wouldn't be able to see theircaptain in the eye.

Abdul Razzaq too would avoid his captain for the latterheld him responsible for his run-out. From Razzaq's point of view, he could havebeen unsure where the ball had gone and then Inzamam's reputation as a poorrunner is always a consideration for his partners. Still, it's only basiccricket that you respond to the non-striker's call if the ball has gone behindthe batting crease. Same with shots played to mid-on and mid-off. It is astriker's call and the non-striker must respond to it.

How Butt would be able to explain his dismissal whenanother 30 runs could have had India panting. And what explanation Pakistan hasfor mugging the script when the scoring rate was 7.71 runs per over at the35-over stage?

Not that Pakistan redeemed themselves in the field.Misfields, dropped catches, missed stumping -- in conditions heavily loadedagainst the bowlers, even half chances are God-send. If you miss them, there'sonly one way to go.

Much as one is a supporter of Pakistan cricket, let'snot forget that Pakistan at best only squared up the Test series. They couldhave lost in Mohali and Bangalore wouldn't have happened if India were notseized by a feat of stupidity. Now in the one-dayers, they have come apart atthe seams. It's time for a reality check.

PTI