HISTORICAL TEST SERIES

Everyone had one only question when India left for the Safari Tour. Can the Indian batsmen handle the raw pace of Dale Steyn and the bounce of 6’5” Morne Morkel? I’m not sure whether the question was answered by the famed Indian batting order, but they have certainly proved one thing. India cannot be beaten easily overseas.

The tour actually started on a bizarre note as India went into the first test without a practice game. Eventually they were hammered by the SA bowlers and their Indian counterparts were no-where near matching them. Suresh Raina found the harsh reality that Steyn and Morkel were not bowling to him at the Chepauk but Centurion. People may argue that he didn’t fall to bouncers but it was very much evident that he always searched for it. He paid the price and was eventually dropped.

The Indian bowlers minus Zaheer Khan looked like they were bowling to Men who didn’t know how to bat and were training there. Such was the lack of focus to break a partnership and South African batsmen cashed in. How many times have we seen 200+ score in a session? Pathetic it was. India went down quickly and the question asked earlier seemed that it was a question which had only one choice in a Multiple Choice Question.

So after having played their WARM UP against the South African first XI, India went into the TWO-test series which began on the Boxing Day in Durban. They knew what to expect from the SA bowlers and performed better although not superlatively. The difference came when India took the red cherry. Zaheer Khan was back and sent Smith straight away. It all unfolded in India’s favour and a classy, special, elegant, wonderful innings from VVS Laxman meant India leveled the series with serious help from fast bowlers especially Sreesanth in the second innings.

India fielded brilliantly as well and it was one test match after a long time where the Indian fielding was top-class for the entire 5 days. Rahul Dravid took his 200^th catch a feat that is as recognizable as 600 Test Wickets or 13000 Test runs. The final wicket of Lonwobo Tsotsobe showed Indian fielders expected things to happen every second. So it was 1-1 after 2 games.

Playing at Newlands gives you complete pleasure as the Table Mountains offer a beautiful picture. Tensions were high between the No.1 and No.2 ranked sides and it showed on the field. Finally MS Dhoni managed to call correctly and India bowled well to restrict SA although Kallis played one of the innings of his life. It really was a treat. If his innings was a treat Sachin’s was a feast. He played like he had nothing to worry on the back of his mind and played freely. Gambhir was back and shone as well.

India gave SA a reality-check when they used the conditions to dismiss 6 early wickets in the second innings. Jacques Kallis once again showed his class and made sure India couldn’t even attempt chasing a 300+ score on Day 5. Once Sehwag was gone, it was known that India would settle for a draw. India survived well to end the series at 1-1. Cape Town wicket was excellent.

Three things were not given importance earlier. Rahul Dravid went past 12,000 Test runs which not many players dream of reaching. The Wall made sure his records were as long as the Great Wall of China. A real class act but whose end is increasingly round the corner.

It is not anywhere near for Sachin Tendulkar. Scoring a Test Century is considered very difficult. Ask Shane Warne. Scoring the first ton gives you satisfaction beyond limits. Ask every batsman who’ve done it. Especially Anil Kumble, Ajit Agarkar and Jason Gillespie. To score a half-century of Centuries is something that could never happen in Tests again except probably by Jacques Kallis who chases Tendulkar slowly. Sachin Tendulkar is a man with a mission to score runs and Centuries.

The third is MS Dhoni’s Captaincy. I personally believe it’s the Captain’s decision to force the Board to ask for Warm-up games. Dhoni might have failed in it and in the first test, but he came back strongly in Durban. REMEMBER, this is the FIRST Indian Team to draw a Test Series in South Africa. A lot of questions were asked, rightly so, about Dhoni’s leadership skills tested abroad. Dhoni did well to be the Captain of a team that has now created a new benchmark for the next teams. Well done MS Dhoni, World Cup is not far away.

In the end, all well that ends well. India showed that they continue to be No.1 by performance alone. It was a difficult series but India has done reasonably well, considering that they were thrown away at the start. Remarkable Turnaround.