MULTAN, 30 March 2004 — There was ecstasy and agony in abundance at the Multan Cricket Ground as India piled on the runs and records for the second straight day in the first cricket Test against Pakistan here yesterday.
Ecstatic was Virender Sehwag, who rode his luck to a career-best 309, becoming the first Indian to blast a triple century, as India declared their innings at 675 for five an hour before close.
Pakistan in reply were 42 without loss.
There was agony for Sachin Tendulkar who came so close to what would have been his fourth double century when the declaration was applied.
He was just six short of what would have been a tremendous innings.
Tendulkar did not take the field when Pakistan began their innings and they are lucky to end the day with all their wickets intact.
Their position could have been different if Sehwag had held on to a difficult chance at leg slip off Anil Kumble with the batsmen on 10 and the Pakistan total at 26.
Though skipper Rahul Dravid rung his changes quickly, the nature of the wicket once again emphasized that it will be yet another long toil for the bowlers. The only factor that could really turn the match into a competition will be the performance of the fielders and the way they take the half chances that come their way.
On present evidence, over two days, this seems unlikely.
Pakistan dropped six catches and India already one on a perfect batting track.
Only if Pakistan will it they would be in trouble.
It was Sehwag’s and Tendulkar’s day, however. And in a press conference after the close of play, Tendulkar said that he was taken by surprise by the decision.
“I’m disappointed that I could not achieve my 200. I was so close to it. Though I was aware that the declaration was round the corner, another two or three overs could have done it,” he said.
“There’s no need to talk about the declaration, now we have to get on with the game,” he added.
On Sehwag’s triple hundred, Tendulkar said: “I’m happy for him. It was a fabulous knock and one cannot predict what he will do next.”
Sehwag was over the moon on setting this landmark.
“I’m happy and now I can get a good night’s rest,” he said. “I’m all the more happy that I got this achievement against Pakistan in Pakistan,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Sehwag and Tendulkar piled on the agony by keeping the score moving with some fine running between the wickets.
Though subdued in comparison to his first day effort, Sehwag built on his overnight 228 to set this record.
And typically he reached his 300 with a lofted six to long on off Saqlain Mushtaq.
But after this brief bit of flash, he did not survive long as Muhammad Sami got one to leave him and Taufeeq Umer held on the resultant snick in the slips.
Sehwag overhauled V. V. S. Laxman’s 281 against Steve Waugh’s Australia in Calcutta to become the highest scorer for India in Tests.
Tendulkar too played a smashing innings, though he came agonizingly close to setting a mark of his own.
His 33rd century for India helped embellish the total, but at 194 not out, he might be ruing the fact that he did not pace his innings prior to the declaration.
Tendulkar got back-to-back hundreds after his double century in Sydney in January 2004 in Steve Waugh’s farewell Test.
But another six runs yesterday would have put him in a league of his own — scoring back-to-back double tons overseas.
Only one other Indian has achieved back-to-back double tons — Vinod Kambli — but it was in India in 1993 against England and Zimbabwe.
The day, however once again belonged to Sehwag who interspersed his strokes cleverly with some quick singles and double and some forceful pulls and hooks.
His 309 came off 375 balls and contained 39 fours and six sixes.
Sehwag was once again lucky to reach the landmark, given two more lives in a lively Shabbir Ahmed’s over.
After playing out the first ball, Sehwag managed to snick a drive to Taufeeq at the slips.
The sharp chance was put down with Sehwag at 274.
After cracking the next ball nonchalantly through the covers for a boundary, Sehwag’s streak cut carried to Moin Khan but he failed to connect and another four was the result.
Pakistan’s poor fielding continued as next man Laxman too was given a life.
But the let off did not prove costly.
Laxman tentative at first was getting into his stride when he played a poor pull shot that looped over square leg.
With three players converging toward the ball, Imran, running toward a dipping ball managed to get his hands to it only to see the ball pop out and onto the ground.
Laxman was 26 at that stage.
Laxman fell three runs later as he failed to reach the crease while taking a second run that was not there.
Yuvraj and Tendulkar continued to keep the runs flowing with some intelligent batting and they shared a 110-run stand in even time till Dravid declared at Yuvraj’s fall.
Yuvraj was caught and bowled by Imran Farhat and his 59 came off 66 balls and had eight fours. Though it was Sehwag’s day, Tendulkar was the person who kept the Pakistan bowlers at bay.
His 348-ball knock contained 21 fours, but his near-chanceless innings clearly broke Pakistan’s spirit after Sehwag had pummeled it out of shape.
Exhibiting nearly every stroke in his armory, Tendulkar scored at will.
The only blemish in an otherwise perfect innings came late in his knock.
At 176 his straight drive off Saqlain carried to the bowler, who failed to latch on to this difficult chance.
And just when he looked on the verge of setting another record, Yuvraj fell and Dravid declared.
India set another record when they set up the highest total against Pakistan yesterday, surpassing the 539 they made in Madras in 1960-61.
