India’s new guns fought back magnificently after a mid innings wobble to ensure that the advantage did not go Pakistan’s way on the third day of the Faisalabad Test. Mahendra Singh Dhoni cracked what will surely be the first of many Test hundreds and he did it in his own inimitable style taking the attack right back to the Pakistanis. It was thrilling to see the way he counter attacked the pace and then took on the spin bowlers.
The Pakistanis especially Shoaib Akhtar thought that he could be scared with some short-pitched deliveries followed by some choice words but all it did was to provoke Dhoni into hitting virtually, every short-pitched ball to the fine leg boundary. He began with a sweetly hit six over square leg off Akhtar’s pace and then when the lesser speed of Asif and Razzaq came on it was child’s play to tackle their attempts at short-pitched deliveries. If anything, it’s a confirmation of the fact that India no longer turns the other cheek but gives back as good as it gets. If Dhoni’s strokes lit up a dull day, Pathan showed a good cricketing head as he played himself in and then opened up his shot production. They are still together in spite of facing not just fast and spinning deliveries but some unnecessary verbals from the Pakistanis. What it showed was the frustration of the Pakistanis as they thought that they could run through the side after the known batsmen were back in the pavilion. Now they know that India’s batting doesn’t end at No. 5 but becomes more explosive at that stage.
The first session was crucial for if Pakistan had got early wickets then they would have been buoyed up and been in a position to dictate the terms for the day but the skipper Dravid was phlegmatic as usual and he missed no chance to score. The back foot drives on both sides of the wicket were full of elegance and class. His companion in many rescue acts and huge partnerships was again VVS Laxman and while the captain got a century the stylist from Hyderabad missed out as he didn’t take into account the bounce that a flighted delivery can get even on this placid pitch. Theirs was a big partnership again as they steered India away from danger and gave just the start that India needed in the morning. After Laxman’s dismissal three wickets fell in quick succession as Dravid responding to Tendulkar’s call was run-out and then Yuvraj fell to a hook shot to give Asif his first Test wicket.
Younis Khan deputing for the injured Inzamam shrewdly brought his fastest bowler back to confront Dhoni but it was the little champion that got out gloving a short ball down the leg-side. That was a bonus indeed for Pakistan but that’s where it ended as Dhoni relished all that was bowled to him irrespective of the length and Pathan showed great maturity in not trying to do what Dhoni was doing but kept on rotating the strike most sensibly.
Though there’s no bounce in the pitch there’s some turn and so India need to bat sensibly and try and get close to the Pakistan total if not overhaul it. It will be a wonder if 25 wickets fall in the next two days so this game too is destined to be another drawn Indo-Pak Test match.
