What a way to celebrate playing in the 100th Test. Pakistan’s captain Inzamam ul-Haq scored a brilliant century and is on the way to become the first player playing in his 100th Test to score a double ton. In the process along with his deputy, Younis Khan he added 316 runs and has put his team on the road to pile up a total that will need all-India’s application to save the game. He came in at a tough time when his team had lost both openers for only 7 on the board and by counter attacking superbly he has put his side in command at the end of the first days play.
Pakistan made another change playing Yasir Hameed ahead of Salman Butt but he fell to his old weakness of playing at a delivery angled across him and departed. What is hard to understand is how Pakistan hopes to have players who haven’t played any cricket for some time to come and start scoring runs straightaway. Why they chose Taufiq ahead of Butt and Yasir in the earlier Tests is a mystery for both Butt and Yasir had scores against Australia in Pakistan’s previous Tests and if scoring against the best team in the world on their grounds doesn’t count for inclusion in the side, then what does? Taufiq hadn’t even scored against India in previous encounters, so it wasn’t as if there was some psychological advantage there but then one of the reasons Pakistan has struggled in recent times it has been this surprising selections, which defy cricketing logic. The partnership between Inzamam and Younis shouldn’t make those who are in charge of Pakistan cricket blind to the revolving chair that’s the Pakistan opening slot. If they can settle this spot then there will be less pressure on the others that follow. India tried everything but were simply not able to do anything to shake the Pakistan captain and vice captain. Both have been in good form and while Younis has a century in the Calcutta Test, Inzamam had not yet got one in this series. The burly captain is often under-estimated because of his quiet self-effacing nature but make no mistake he is tough as nails. To bat the way he did in the situation that he found himself in, takes a tough man and not only him but his deputy also showed that he is made of stern stuff too. He has shown good temperament, for in the past he has thrown his wicket away trying to play a bit more aggressively, but in the Calcutta Test as well as here in Bangalore he has been a model of patience waiting for the scoring opportunity. What was important was that in spite of the captain outscoring him he did not try to do anything silly and kept his captain company at a time when Pakistan were vulnerable. His second century of the series came after a verbal skirmish with Harbhajan when he was in his 80s but he did not let that distract him from his mission. Harbhajan does like to have a bit of a chirp and most times it’s harmless but maybe the tension of his action being reported made him say something stronger to vent his frustration at the way the day was turning out for him and his team.
India will no doubt hope that the new day will bring more wickets than what they have got on the first and sure it’s not easy to quite recapture the rhythm the next day just as it’s not always easy to do that after a session. Pakistan have Yousuf Youhana to come and so there will be hopes that they will be able to at least double their score on the first day. The pitch looks very good for batting though the odd ball has kept low. Pakistan will be hoping that they don’t have to bat again and India will be looking to see that they get all the big guns firing with the bat to emerge victorious in the series. This is going to be a test of patience for both teams.
