Blushes and Blemishes Galore

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Originally appeared here on 12 April 2002.

The first day of the first Test match of a key series! Come to think of it, India have almost always done well on the first day - even in Tests that they have gone to lose badly. The first Test against Pakistan in the inaugural Asian Test Championship and the first Test against Australia in Australia in 1999 come to mind.

One more aspect sticks out in all these Tests - the opening spells of the Indian bowlers and the team’s attacking game-plan in the first session. But the sorry state of affairs that unfolds after the first day, or even after the first session, need not be dwelt upon here, for they are well-known and already much- analysed.

I have to start with the team selection first, where we have another familiar story unfolding. Debasis Mohanty, T Kumaran and the ilk perhaps have another member to join their ranks, but I seriously hope that Ajay Ratra does not end up like them. Or has Deep Dasgupta dug his own grave by dropping Hooper in the morning? With the West Indian captain going on to a century, it should not be too long before Dasgupta’s supporters lay down their arms. VVS Laxman too did not do the team any good by denying Sanjay Bangar his maiden Test wicket.

But if there was one reassuring thought that Sourav Ganguly and Co. would have taken to bed, it would have been the fact that Lara did not stay long. The Indians must be aware that a big score from his blade is just around the corner. It just remains to be seen how much the Indians can snatch before he wakes up.

Hooper seems to be in the midst of a purple patch quite early in the tour. He was always going to be a thorn in the Indian flesh, but with his moody elegance, there is always a chance that he might be bored enough to chuck it away. Alas, today was not to be that day. Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul provided able support to their skipper to save their team the blushes. They have brought the fight to such a stage that they can attack the Indians from here on. In short, a perfect day’s outing for them.

On the other hand, the Indian bowlers (and its wicket-keeper) have to raise their game and bowl out the West Indies before they make too much. Javagal Srinath was easily the pick of the Indian bowlers, but support from the others (except probably Bangar) was not forthcoming. Anil Kumble plugged away at one end as he has done for the most part of his career. Zaheer Khan was not the bowler we saw in Kenya, though he seemed to improve as the day wore on. Sarandeep Singh got his wicket too, but can he provide the same breakthroughs that Harbhajan Singh seems to provide effortlessly?

The West Indian team has made an almost-perfect start to the series. For that matter, so did the Pakistani and the Australian teams in 1998 and 1999, and they actually held the upper hand for most of the series (except for Kumble’s perfect 10 and Laxman’s 167). The Indians should strive to change this trend. They actually can, with some more discipline - and some more catching practice, as Srinath would agree!