India Need To Carry The Hard Edge

Cricket is about the momentum and confidence which winsgenerate. The Australians have started to roll and they would be that much moredifficult for the opposition from now on. India have an excellent battingline-up and some promising youngsters but need to carry the hard edge whichtakes them over the finish line.

I suppose the day-night game at the Melbourne CricketGround had a bit of everything. Some excellent and some very poor cricket waswitnessed from two teams who have come hard at each other throughout the summer.

I thought the Indian catching was brilliant but theirground fielding was terrible. I wish anyone has an answer to this curioussituation. The Indians seemed so sure about their movement whenever the catch washit in the air but when it came to stopping the ball cleanly and interceptingit, they were an eyesore.

The Australians too must be upset at the way they went about their innings. AndrewSymonds and Michael Clarke were absolutely brilliant in reviving the innings butthey committed the terrible crime of one-day cricket by not batting through theovers. If they had kept their head, a total in excess of 300 was a certainty.Still at the start of the day if Australia were given a total of 288, they wouldhave taken it.

It is obvious Clarke is coming of age. He could be thenext superstar of Australian cricket. He has established himself in the one-dayarena for sure and would be wanting to take the next obvious step and aim forTest cricket. His batting was outstanding, he plucked four catches and hisground fielding was sensational. He has been a vital cog in Australia's wheelslately, is a brilliant lad and one who inspires high hopes.

I guess from the Indian point of view the dismissal ofSaurav Ganguly would be hard to digest. The Indian captain was in brilliant formunder lights and just the way he paced his innings was fantastic. His run-outwas terrible news for the Indian chase.

It is generally accepted that if both the partners goquickly for the other end, the chances of a run-out are minimal. It only happenswhen there is hesitation. The new player must take the blame for he was unsureof his response or aware it was his captain who was key to his team's fortunes.

The way Saurav left the field must have beenfrightening for his partner. That he followed him soon after meant he still wouldhave caught his captain in a foul mood.

With every wicket knocked down, the Indian dressing room would not have beenquite the home for the young man who has just flown in from India.

Saurav had teased and dominated the Australian attackin turns and with Yuvraj Singh had forged a telling partnership. They knockedthe ball around and sensibly hit the bad balls to pickets. Yuvraj then had arush of blood and the next ball witnessed Ganguly's dismissal. Just two ballsbefore, India were winning the game.

Their tail has not responded to situations. John Wrightneeds to sit down with the guys and tell them of their responsibility. They justneeded to push the ball in the outfield and sensibly pick up runs. Instead, theywent for the eaerial route which was not required. India's asking rate was only nineper over and it isn't too difficult on a big ground like the MCG which is very hardto protect from the fielders' perspective.

It was a game India should have won.

Ajit Agarkar is infuriating as a batsman. As a bowler,he has been the find for India - if the expression could be used about acricketer who has been around for five-six years. He has done just abouteverything right as a bowler but is an extreme opposite as a batsman.

The shot he played against Jason Gillespie to get outwas terrible. You don't do this against a quality bowler and it is not sensibleif one remembers Gillespie would not have bowled again in the match after thedelivery.

The Indian tail completely lost the plot. I stillbelieve they had a chance only if they had picked the gaps. The Australians applied thepressure and the Indian tail did not respond.

PTI