Dravid and India level series 2-2
Rahul Dravid played a captain’s knock and was at the crease till the end to ensure that India level the series with South Africa. Team India was under pressure to perform after being defeated by South Africa and boo-ed by a section of the Kolkata crowd.
The Indians proved that the new team under the controversial coach Greg Chappell is really a much improved one with every player firing in one game or the another. The Indians first thrashed the then world second ranked Sri Lankan team 6-1 and then went on to level the series with the newly second placed South African team. The South African team which came to India was no ordinary team. The Indians ended South Africa’s 20-match unbeaten streak in Bangalore, just one victory short of Australia’s world record of 21 consecutive wins.
Irfan Pathan struck early with a beauty of a delivery and kept on the pressure to dismiss Graeme Smith, the South African captain. Harbhajan bowled a great line and ended up with two wickets for 32 runs in his 10 overs. Sachin Tendulkar looked back in form with a steady 30 and Sehwag entertained with a quick 27 off 20 balls. Dravid took over and ensured that he is in the crease and won India the match with an unbeaten 78.
At the end of the game, captain Rahul Dravid applauded the Mumbai crowd for their support. Yuvraj Singh’s quick 49 today helped him share the Man of the series with Smith. Both scored 209 runs in 4 matches. With the new Indian captain in place, this team looks ready for newer challenges and on their way to World Cup 2007.
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December 1st, 2005 at 2:16 pm
Good Point Kanchan… However, if you think “India has had an excellent record at home”, then you are a little mistaken.
If you ask me ’since when did we find it difficult to level/win a home series?’, I would say… “Since 2005, 1st qtr!”.
We have played 7 ODIs at home and beleive you me, we have lost 5 of them. This includes the ODI series loss to Pakistan. We lost the Test series to Australia and leveled the Test series with Pakistan.
Although the available statistics are not sufficient to conclude, we can still safely say that; from 2 wins of 7 games, to 8 wins of 11 games is a sign of rejuvenation.
Having said that, nobody disagrees with the fact that the team still has a long way to go to become a WC contender.
- Ashwin M
November 30th, 2005 at 10:59 pm
I am really surprised by the fact that a series draw with south africa is considered as an acheivment when we are boasting of a rejuvenated Team India! When from we have strated to find it hard to level ODI series against any team in our home soil. we are sure not win a single match in SA given the present indian team because our inability to play agaist safs in good seaming pitch has been utterly exposed in this series. Before we put our bet for David and co. we must watch them how they improve themselves against quality bowling.
November 30th, 2005 at 12:20 pm
Hello,
It was good that I was asked to elaborate…Sachin’s exclusion from the 11 will not take same course as saurav’s because
1) Firstly, the situation is not as bad as what Saurav’s was…
+As a batsmen, sachin has bettered saurav yr after yr.
+Sachin is a more technically sound batmen than Saurav.
+Even if you consider last 2 yrs, Sachin has a better avg.
Saurauv may have a better agg, but thats simply because
he has played more games.
2) Being realistic is the first step to improvement…
+I think Saurav believed that he can live with the technical
flaws in his batting. Hence never improved on weak areas.
+Whereas Sachin has been a constant learner & is a realist.
+Hence, on one hand, we have Saurav who says ‘I have
performed for your country for 10 years, hence I should
be in the team’.
+Whereas we have Sachin who said (in 2000) ‘I am not a
good captain. So I resign as the Indian captain and will
concentrate on my batting’.
3) The kind of personalities Sachin and Saurav are,
+Sachin can be in the team and still play a role of a mentor,
not cause rifts with the coach.
+Saurav has been a strong personality, and would always
try to enforce his views.
4) And lastly, if things get ugly, it will NOT be made public.
Nevertheless, after eventful 5-6 weeks, looks like we have a reformed Saurav! He is performing consistently in domestic cricket, has the determination and more importantly, is more
realistic about his situation. As I had said in a earlier blog,
+It would be nice to have Saurav back, but based on consistent performances.
AND IT IS GOOD TO SEE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED JUST THAT SAME WAY.
- Ashwin
November 29th, 2005 at 8:48 pm
What do you mean by “I am sure Chappel sees the ’sachin’ situation in a similar way. However, dont expect the exclusion of sachin to happen the same way as saurav’s, simply because however it happens, it will never be made public.”
Kindly elaborate
November 29th, 2005 at 11:52 am
A very Good Show indeed! The last game was a tough one, and the resolution shown by the team was impeccable.
Dravid’s comments during the ‘prize distribution’ were very interesting. Particularly, his comment ‘The team
has improved immensely in the last 4 weeks and has started to take shape’. The way he said it, it hinted that
he/greg had to put in a lot of effort to make that happen and a lot of damage was done in the last year.
Summarizing, we have a lots of +ve’s, and one -ve. And the -ve being Sachin. Honestly, just as I dont see a place for Saurav in the side, I dont see one for sachin either. May be getting runs under his belt in domestic cricket will help him.
I am sure Chappel sees the ’sachin’ situation in a similar way. However, dont expect the exclusion of sachin to happen the same way as saurav’s, simply because however it happens, it will never be made public.
- Ashwin M