Eden Test 2007 - Ind Vs Pak
Younis Khan played a chanceless knock along with Mohd Yousuf and ensured the test series is alive. Pakistan at one stage were reeeling with 4 wickets down and still 40 odd overs remaining in the days play. But Yo-Yo stood between India and a series-clinching victory with an unbeaten century stand at the Eden Gardens. This was Younis Khan's third 4th innings century in the last 4 test matches. This is just incredible. He now averages 91 vs the arch rivals.
The Indian batting prospered, courtesy the toss. Jaffer made full use of the lack-lusture Pakistan Bowling line-up and scored a brisk double century.
Jaffer was well supported by Dravid and Tendulkar. Later, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman completed their centuries and India piled up 600+ runs.
Literally, Pakistan were never in the game for the first 2 1/2 days. At 150/5, Pakistan were standing down the barrel. Enter Kamran Akmal. The man thrives under the pressure and never afraid to play positively when his team is backs to the wall. Akmal and Misbah scored 200+ runs and ensured Indians bat again even after posting a massive total. Misbah-ul Haq has been like a colossus for them in this series, very stubborn and played the spinners beautifully. He has been a revelation for Pakistan. I just hope Pakistan wont lose precious talents like Misbah in their domestic circuit since Misbah is a very late entrant to the Pakistan line-up. He is 33 now and would have lost a good 3/4 years of international cricket experience.
Kamran Akmal is now a specialist in thwarting the Indians as he scored his 4th century vs India. He played remarkably well . Another gentleman who surprisingly contributed with the bat is Mohd Sami. He showed brave commitment vs Kumble/Harbajan and it required a part-time VVS Laxman to dismiss him. This is the area where the Indians lost the plot. If a tailender like Sami is allowed to bat for two sessions, then Kumble and Co simply don’t deserve to win. Unless there is a bowler who can clean up the tail with pace, India will continue to suffer like this as tailenders continue to make merry. Indians were in a similar position when Jason Gillespie played a similar innings in the Madras Test of 2004 along with Damien Martyn. A perennial problem that seemed to have been solved in the last few seasons continues to rear its ugly head again.
Chasing a target of 345, Pakistan saved the match on the final day by playing out 80 overs. Indians failed to deliver the knock out punch and lacked killer instinct. There is no point in blaming the pitch as life-less. It only further reinforced the fact that Indian bowlers(Read Spinners) can stamp their authority only on bad wickets. Harbajan who took 5 wickets in the first innings, bowled poorly on the final day and never looked like getting the wicket. Kumble was ineffective as well. Pakistan's game plan was pretty simple. They played Kumble on the front foot and Harbajan on the back foot. Iam not absolutely certain what Munaf patel was doing. He looked not even 50 percent fit to me. Zaheer was off-colour as well and might be carrying a niggle. The bowling were not hostile which ideally they should be, if they have to win the match. Fielding is pathetic to say the least. Indians definitely need to lift their bowling and fielding. They really have to increase the tempo while batting and especially while setting the target, which they failed to do in Kolkatta. Pakistan have to get the batting order right. Yasir Hameed could be dropped.
Dinesh Kaarthick, who played splendidly during the tour of England and SA, looked out of sorts in this series. I would like him to have a word with Sachin/Dravid and analyse his foot movements. The need of the hour is to get the technical deficiencies corrected. Rahul Dravid, a master craftsmen himself, had a session with Sunil Gavaskar before this test match and it really worked. There is no harm in learning new things. I would love to include Wasim or Waqar to share their wealth of knowledge to the young Pakistan Seamers. Sami and Tanvir definitely need some guidance the two W's.
Iam just hoping, we will have an absorbing test match at Bangalore!!
The Indian batting prospered, courtesy the toss. Jaffer made full use of the lack-lusture Pakistan Bowling line-up and scored a brisk double century.
Jaffer was well supported by Dravid and Tendulkar. Later, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman completed their centuries and India piled up 600+ runs.
Literally, Pakistan were never in the game for the first 2 1/2 days. At 150/5, Pakistan were standing down the barrel. Enter Kamran Akmal. The man thrives under the pressure and never afraid to play positively when his team is backs to the wall. Akmal and Misbah scored 200+ runs and ensured Indians bat again even after posting a massive total. Misbah-ul Haq has been like a colossus for them in this series, very stubborn and played the spinners beautifully. He has been a revelation for Pakistan. I just hope Pakistan wont lose precious talents like Misbah in their domestic circuit since Misbah is a very late entrant to the Pakistan line-up. He is 33 now and would have lost a good 3/4 years of international cricket experience.
Kamran Akmal is now a specialist in thwarting the Indians as he scored his 4th century vs India. He played remarkably well . Another gentleman who surprisingly contributed with the bat is Mohd Sami. He showed brave commitment vs Kumble/Harbajan and it required a part-time VVS Laxman to dismiss him. This is the area where the Indians lost the plot. If a tailender like Sami is allowed to bat for two sessions, then Kumble and Co simply don’t deserve to win. Unless there is a bowler who can clean up the tail with pace, India will continue to suffer like this as tailenders continue to make merry. Indians were in a similar position when Jason Gillespie played a similar innings in the Madras Test of 2004 along with Damien Martyn. A perennial problem that seemed to have been solved in the last few seasons continues to rear its ugly head again.
Chasing a target of 345, Pakistan saved the match on the final day by playing out 80 overs. Indians failed to deliver the knock out punch and lacked killer instinct. There is no point in blaming the pitch as life-less. It only further reinforced the fact that Indian bowlers(Read Spinners) can stamp their authority only on bad wickets. Harbajan who took 5 wickets in the first innings, bowled poorly on the final day and never looked like getting the wicket. Kumble was ineffective as well. Pakistan's game plan was pretty simple. They played Kumble on the front foot and Harbajan on the back foot. Iam not absolutely certain what Munaf patel was doing. He looked not even 50 percent fit to me. Zaheer was off-colour as well and might be carrying a niggle. The bowling were not hostile which ideally they should be, if they have to win the match. Fielding is pathetic to say the least. Indians definitely need to lift their bowling and fielding. They really have to increase the tempo while batting and especially while setting the target, which they failed to do in Kolkatta. Pakistan have to get the batting order right. Yasir Hameed could be dropped.
Dinesh Kaarthick, who played splendidly during the tour of England and SA, looked out of sorts in this series. I would like him to have a word with Sachin/Dravid and analyse his foot movements. The need of the hour is to get the technical deficiencies corrected. Rahul Dravid, a master craftsmen himself, had a session with Sunil Gavaskar before this test match and it really worked. There is no harm in learning new things. I would love to include Wasim or Waqar to share their wealth of knowledge to the young Pakistan Seamers. Sami and Tanvir definitely need some guidance the two W's.
Iam just hoping, we will have an absorbing test match at Bangalore!!
posted by Bharani | Thursday, December 20, 2007
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