Taste of alien pitch or bad selection?

Dec 29:  With Team India went down 1-0 in the series against Australia at Melbourne today, much salvo will be fired on the performances of the key players in the post-match analysis on various TV channels. So far, Team India does not have a good record in chasing a total, and many a times it fell well short of the target. For millions of fans across the nation, another defeat at the foreign soil with a day to spare is a depressing moment. What irks more is the way Team India falls flat without giving the punch of fighting spirit. The so-called best batting line-up bowled out on a paltry 161 is no less than a nightmare for the cricket followers before an Australian bowling attack that seemed not so lethal after the retirement of Glen McGrath and Shane Warne.

But what made the big difference actually? Is it because Dravid (5&16), Jaffer (4&15), Dhoni (0&11) and Yuvraj (0&5) failed in both the innings? Or Sachin did not score in the second innings when Indian wanted him the most? Or is it Kumble’s plan to play with two spinners? Or fast Australian pitch and alien environment?

The first noticeable game plan was to play with two spinners on a fast Melbourne track. Statistics will reveal correctly as Australian pacers picked up 14 wickets in comparison to their Indian counterparts who managed to get only 7 wickets. While skipper did well in both the innings by picking up 7 wickets in all, which is a laudable effort, Harbhajan Singh did not a single in the first innings and his second haul of 3 wickets failed to contain the Aussies scoring briskly. A third pacer in form of Pathan would have been a better option for the skipper, as the left-hander has the ability to swing the ball in, which is lethal at times and he can bat like a batsman as well. Even lanky Ishant Sharma could have provided better bounce than Zaheer and RP Singh. It is another matter the Munaf Patel, the most accurate bowler at the moment, is rested. Nonetheless bowling has been good, it is the batting that let us down again.

In both the innings, opening partnership has been dismal; in the first innings, Jaffer, who scored a flying double hundred at Kolkata fell at the score of only 4; while in the second innings, India lost the second wicket at 26, and this time also it was Jaffer who edged a sharp Lee out swinger. Can we blame the chemistry between Jaffer and Dravid? Or extra pressure on Dravid to open the innings due to which he played 66 balls to score only 5 runs and 144 balls to score 14 in the first and second innings respectively? The fans wonder at Dravid what is the point in playing so defensively and losing in the end. Well, this is his style, and in pressure self is more important than the team. His lackluster attitude in the field is a cause of concern.

Sachin looked in good nick in the first innings, but the pressure of chasing 499 runs was clearly visible on his instances in the crease, and the way he shuffled on the crease showed the lack confidence that the master blaster exhibits at times.

Yuvraj was little unlucky in the first innings, as the edge to a Clark delivery was not clear though umpire Billy Bowden was quick to raise his finger while the batsman stood on the crease in dismay for a while. His body language gave the impression that Yuvraj was not out. But this is a lame excuse though such decisions make difference.

Even Ganguly’s resistance was not enough. We expected something more from him keeping in mind the current revival of his form and temperament. Laxman did play cautiously in the second innings, but he was not in control of the game. But why Dhoni is losing his shine? The way he played across the line in the first innings is unpardonable. Against his style, he tried to be too cautious. But who would tell him to play his natural game and put pressure on the opponent rather than accumulating more on his team?

This team has tremendous potential provided the players learn to handle the pressure. However, our players either adopt too an extreme approach or become too defensive, and both the strategy is not professional. Besides, they feel the heat of the alien crowd and environment as well. With a defeat in the first outing, we can expect a greater commitment and professional approach from Team India when it comes out to play the second Test match at Sydney on January 2 next year. Kumble and Co. needs to sit and must think about the Australian environment.