BANGALORE, 27 March 2005 — With the help of a double century scored by opener Virendar Sehwag, India made sure of averting a follow-on by posting a respectable first innings score of 379 for 6 in reply to Pakistan’s 570. Though still 191 runs behind, India has the presence of V.V.S. Laxman who was unbeaten for a patiently played half century.
Though the batsman has been sketchy, Laxman did show glimpses of skill as a reliable member of one of the most formidable batting line-up on the cricket circuit. If he hangs around and is offered assistance by Irfan Pathan, Anil Kumble and Laxmipathy Balaji he may yet bring India closer to the Pakistan total.
A lot will depend on how well he bats and how successful the Pakistan spinners, Danish Kaneria, Shahid Afridi and Arshad Khan, are able to contain him and the tailenders.
However, Pakistan’s bowling is not that penetrative in order to dent India twice. If they do then it surely will be a big bonus.
It will also depend on how big a lead Pakistan is able to get in the end and how well they bat to set a target for India to chase. The wicket is showing signs of helping the spinners and with Kaneria, Afridi and Khan in the side things can happen whenever a target is given to the Indian batsmen.
Sehwag has this impregnable ability to grind any attack down to the ground which he has already shown in this series while taking a second century off the Pakistan attack yesterday.
His double century (201) was a magnificent display of power hitting and when he is on song it does not really matter to him if he is facing a fast bowler or a spinner.
With his partner Gautam Gambhir, who made 24, he put on 98 for the first wicket and at lunch he was still there only five short of a hundred which he reached immediately after the break with the help of 15 fours and a six in only 138 balls.
With Rahul Dravid he put on 74 runs for the second wicket. Dravid once again failed in front of his home crowd when Kaneria had him leg before on 22.
As if his tenth Test hundred was not enough Sehwag continued in regal fashion to frustrate Pakistani bowlers to share 85 runs with Sachin Tendulkar, who made 41 runs before falling to Afridi.
Sehwag in scintillating form continued to strike the ball to all parts of the field reaching his double century with 28 fours and two sixes having faced 262 balls and once again was instrumental in another useful stand with Laxman adding 80 runs. Two balls after reaching the double century he holed out to Kaneria giving a return catch.
Indian skipper Saurav Ganguly, who despite being dropped by Younis Khan at silly-point, failed once again. He was stumped off Kaneria when he failed to read the googly. Ganguly has so far made 46 in his last four innings.
Dinesh Karthik was brilliantly caught by Asim Kamal at gully off Mohammad Sami as India lost their sixth wicket at 374 having avoided the follow-on.
