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So
at last the test series against Sri Lanka comes to an end.
For some reason, it feels like India has been playing Sri
Lanka for an eternity. And after the 6-1 drubbing in the
ODI series, the heat was on to see if the Men in Blue
could dry clean their rivals equally impressively in white
linen too. They certainly did! India wrapped up the 3-Test
series by an emphatic 2-0 margin, with the first test (Chennai)
being washed out due to rain.
But
not before a very competitive encounter against the
touring South Africans who stretched them to the limit in
the 5-match ODI series last month. Each time the Proteas
took the lead, the Indians fought back to level the
series. Although, I would argue that the Indians, riding
high after winning the second ODI would have won the third
in Chennai as well, and led 2-1, had it not been for the
rain intervention. Strangely enough, each time a match at
Chennai has been washed-out, the Indians have come out
misfiring in the cricket that immediately follows. Recall
their Nagpur test match thrashing after they were denied
the chance to win the second test match against Australia
(October 2004). Here again, after having a full washout,
the Indian team played a weak fourth ODI to lose the
initiative. But they quickly re-grouped, and led ably by
Rahul Dravid’s 78* sealed a final victory to square the
series 2-2 and break South Africa’s 20-match winning
streak. Australia must have breathed a sigh of relief that
their world record was not upset.
However,
Dravid’s men had barely time to rest as the Sri Lankans
were ready to start their test series and avenge their ODI
defeat. In that sense, perhaps, the rain-affected first
test match (again in Chennai) may have worked to India’s
advantage. Interestingly, though, the cricket that was
played immediately after the rain, that is five sessions
over the 4th and 5th days, saw India
look sluggish again. Whatever those demons are in the
Chennai rain-affected matches, just as well they were
dealt with in a no-result match. Thereafter, India came
out firing, and Sri Lanka looked jaded over the rest of
the series. Anil Kumble (10-157) and Sachin Tendulkar
(109) starred in the second test match (Delhi, 188-run
romp), and then Kumble and Harbhajan Singh (10-141)
starred in the final test (Ahmedabad, 259 runs) to take
India to #2 in the Test rankings.
Highlights
include Sachin Tendulkar’s 35th test century.
While many have lamented that it has taken the great man
too long to surpass Gavaskar’s record, Tendulkar himself
shot back in an interview that he had only played in 4
test matches in the previous year, sitting out for the
majority of the year due to injury. While on centuries,
Anil Kumble completed his 100th test match, and
in so doing joins only a handful of Indians with that
honor. VVS Laxman (104) also made a brilliant century in
the third test to rescue India from a precarious position
and reaffirm his importance to the test side’s middle
order. And Irfan Pathan ravaged 93 and 82 runs
(near-centuries) in back-to-back innings, achievements
enough considering he is more recognized for his bowling
exploits. Such was the domination the Indians displayed
over their hapless rivals.
In
addition, I found the series most important for two
reasons. The first is the coming-of-age, if you will, of
Yuvraj Singh in the longer version of the game. The
second, is India’s increasing flexibility and ability to
adapt. Yuvraj Singh ends the last two tests with scores of
0, 77*, 0, 75. No one can blame him for being
inconsistent! Essentially what he has done, with those two
half-centuries in trying times, is shown the team that he
can bat long and well in the test format. Furthermore, any
criticism of his weakness against spin bowling should also
be discarded now. For by definition, a middle order
batsman almost always is in fact good against spin bowling
since that is what he will face for most amount of time.
Yuvraj Singh has displayed good use of the feet, as well
as the sweep shot, to counter Sri Lanka’s spinners, with
a certain Muttiah Muralitharan amongst their arsenal. This
batting display also should, hopefully, put an end to the
Ganguly debate. Unless Ganguly opens the batting, there is
no place for him in the middle order now, with Yuvraj,
also a south-paw, blossoming with each passing test match.
VVS Laxman’s performances, Tendulkar’s 35th
century, and Rahul Dravid’s consistency makes it
virtually impossible to see anyone being left out (except
due to injury). That is not to say that Ganguly is a bad
player or cannot work his way back into the team, but
there are better options at the moment, and Indian cricket
needs to move forward while acknowledging and celebrating
the past five years of Ganguly’s successful and fruitful
reign.
The
second important outcome of this series is India’s
increased adaptability. This is highlighted in three
facets of their team composition: Mahendra Dhoni’s
explosive innings towards the end of the middle-order (51*
in 51 balls; 49 in 62 balls), reminiscent of Adam
Gilchrist’s routine ability to turn a test match on its
head. Irfan Pathan’s fabulous batting display, further
bolstering the lower order and making India’s already
formidable batting line-up look audacious. And Sehwag’s
astute captaincy (third test) in the absence of India’s
most reliable batsman, skipper Rahul Dravid. In fact, it
is this last facet that is most pleasing, for even without
India’s Mr. Dependable, the middle and lower-order has
come together to score heavily. And Virender Sehwag’s
judgements of declaration, and opening bowling pairings of
Kumble and Harbhajan Singh, or Pathan and Bhajji, have
been spot-on.
India
look set as the #2 team in the test rankings and should
give themselves a pat on the back for two good months of
cricket played. But another team that has seen a
resurgence is Pakistan, and their trouncing of England in
the recent test series on home soil was also partly
responsible for India’s climb to #2. In fact, England
haven’t slipped much themselves, and now occupy the #3
ranking, with Pakistan #4. The new year holds much promise
for outstanding cricket then, as both Pakistan, then
England, will challenge India’s ranking in back-to-back
explosive test series only just a few days away.
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