da fezbet： Having to win a Test to just keep the series alive is an unenviablesituation
Partab Ramchand22-Aug-2002Having to win a Test to just keep the series alive is an unenviablesituation. Invariably the pressure builds up. India find themselves inexactly this position on the eve of the third Test against England atLeeds. What compounds the depressing scenario is the fact that thevisitors do not appear to have the firepower in the bowling to drawlevel in the series.The onus will thus again be on the batsmen, and in this department,the Indians are strong enough to more than hold their own and helpdraw the game. But already being one down in the four-match rubber,India will have to bowl England out twice to win, and if the totalsrun up by the home team thus far are any evidence, then the bowlerswill be hard-put to bowl the side out even once.
© ReutersSo are the Indians in a no-win situation? Not exactly. They do have acouple of things going for them. For starters, Headingley is one amongonly three English venues where India have registered a Test win. Ifanything, the Indians should draw inspiration from their 279-run winin 1986, the last of their triumphs in England, even though threeother Tests (in 1952, 1959 and 1967) were lost and the rain-affectedgame in 1979 drawn.Then there is the current batting strength. With a big total in thekitty, even toothless attacks suddenly develop fangs. England is alsostruggling with the bowling line-up, thanks to injuries, and as theIndians proved at Nottingham, their attack too lacks firepower. Thereis enough evidence to suggest that India’s batting is as strong – ifnot stronger – than England’s. Given this background, if India batfirst and run up a huge total, they can put England under pressure.But for that to happen, the bowling, with its limited resources, mustperform above its potential. But who should constitute the bowlingline-up? So far in the series, the Indians have gone in for threeseamers and one spinner, and it has got them nowhere. Has the timecome then for two seamers and two spinners? Neither Anil Kumble norHarbhajan Singh has covered himself with glory thus far in the series,and the overseas record of the duo is anything but impressive. Butthen again, what have the seamers achieved? Except for Zaheer Khan,who has achieved some degree of consistency, neither Ajit Agarkar norAshish Nehra has been particularly impressive. Agarkar in fact hasdone well with the bat, but it must not be forgotten that he is in theside primarily as a bowler, and if he is unable to perform that basicduty, he should make way for others.But who are the others? That is a moot point, for the team managementreally has a Hobson’s choice. The only combination that has not beentried out in the series is two seamers and two spinners, so perhapsthe time has come to play both Kumble and Harbhajan. In late August inEngland, there is a strong case to go in for a spin-oriented attack,just as it is an ideal tactic to play as many seam bowlers as possiblein May-June. Surely the Indian attack cannot come in for any morepunishment than it was subjected to at Lord’s and Trent Bridge.Moreover, playing both Kumble and Harbhajan could be a surprisetactic, for England may not expect the visitors to field two spinners.As any army general could tell you, a surprise tactic could well catchthe enemy off guard and provide a decisive advantage.But while there are problems and options aplenty as far as the bowlingis concerned, thankfully the batting strength is as intact as ever. Itmay even be stronger with the inclusion of Shiv Sunder Das, who withhis monumental 250 at Chelmsford has surely won back his place in theside. The diminutive opening batsman from Orissa just lacked a bigscore to boost his confidence, and his marathon performance must havegiven him a tremendous psychological boost.
© CricInfoAlso, he and Virender Sehwag, with their contrasting styles, give theimpression of being an opening pair made for each other. Two of themost successful opening combinations in Indian cricket history, VijayMerchant-Mushtaq Ali and Sunil Gavaskar-Kris Srikkanth were also, asone critic wrote in describing the former pair, “as dissimilar ascurry and rice and just as effective in combination.”There is some talk about Sanjay Bangar being asked to partner Sehwag,but there is an imperative need for playing the better batsman at thetop of the order, for that is one place where there is a problem.Bangar is nowhere near Das as far as technique and temperament areconcerned, and with Sourav Ganguly to operate as an additional seamer,he will also be rendered redundant as far as the bowling is concerned.