Virender Sehwag’s magnificent double century put India in a superb position and gave them just the platform they need to win this Test. Although the pitch looks good for more runs, the fact that Saqlain Mushtaq was able to get the ball to turn quite sharply at times means that by the fourth day it may well be just the kind of surface that Anil Kumble would love to bowl on. Rahul Dravid did what Saurav Ganguly wasn’t able to do and that is to call correctly to win the toss and give his side first use of a pitch that in the tradition of subcontinent pitches looked full of runs. At this time of early summer, there can be little grass on the pitch and any moisture will evaporate very soon. Akash Chopra who plays the perfect foil to the flamboyant Sehwag made sure that he held an end up and didn’t give the Pakistani speedsters the early breakthrough, though he will be disappointed to be dismissed in his 40s once again.
The Pakistanis made the mistake of not giving the new ball to Shabbir who has shown in the one-dayers that he can swing the ball. By the time he came on, both batsmen were well settled and yet he gave them some anxious moments with his away-swing.
Somehow the other bowlers looked a bit listless and the fire seemed to have gone out before it was lit. Shoaib seemed to be ambling in and Sami tried but wasn’t able to get the bounce that he wanted.
Still, they could have tested the batsmen with some well-directed short ones but just couldn’t do it. Saqlain was the one who looked like getting a wicket and he had Sehwag dropped when he was just past fifty. The opener was dropped again by Saqlain himself off Shoaib and after that the quickie just seemed disinterested, which was far cry from Imran, Wasim and company who gave it everything, especially after a batsman escaped.
Dravid failed, which is a rare thing nowadays and he also fell to the pull shot which he plays normally so well. The little champion, having seen that there is no danger in the wicket, took his time to settle down and has paced his innings beautifully, knowing that only a rash over-ambitious shot can get him out. In any case, he has been playing a lot more solid cricket in recent times leaving the flamboyance to Sehwag and company.
That the Pakistanis did not keep a third-man for Sehwag from the start is a wonder, for Miandad is not one to miss a trick and he would have also saved lots of runs that went there off the outside-edge as also given himself a chance to get Sehwag who loves to play the upper-cut.
Not that the Delhi opener would have been too worried, for he got to his century with just that shot and that too for a six, a truly remarkable way to get to a Test century. His uncomplicated approach to batting and the rate at which he scores puts enormous pressure on the opposition and he has put India in the driver’s seat. The fast scoring also means India get a chance to bowl the opposition out twice.
It’s a golden opportunity and India must grab it. They have never been so well placed in Pakistan like this before and they know that this is one place where chances don’t come again and again. It’s a great way to begin a Test series, though it was disappointing to see the sparse crowd but those that were there will have had the satisfaction of seeing one of the best double tons they have ever seen!
