History Beckons...
When Rahul Dravid steps onto the manicured grass of the The Oval for the toss with Michael Vaughan on the morning of the third test, his legs might just be a bit shaky, hands a little colder and his lips pressed tighter than usual. He would know that this is perhaps India’s biggest day of reckoning since the do-or-die match against Sri Lanka in the world cup. The Men In Blue came out second best that day. The whole of India would be hoping the script is written differently this time. This is not just another ordinary test match in the cricketing calendar. A fortunate amalgam of past history and present circumstances leading into the match have made it a truly mouth watering prospect. For the Indians, at stake is a rare opportunity to shrug off the “Tigers at home, Lambs abroad” tag. For years, the Indians have dominated the opposition at home, but failed to reproduce that form abroad. Their test record will always come with that blemish of not being able to perform in conditions alien to them. Things though have begun to change recently. They drew their last test series’ against Australia, England and managed to win against West Indies. Is there a bright future to look forward to ? Or is the oasis on the horizon simply a mirage that deceives the eye? A victory or a draw in the third test match would go a long way in assuaging some of the wounds caused by the cliches regarding India's away performance strewn around by cricketing pundits time and time again whenever India performs. Yet, one is tempted not to be too carried away, for fear of being disappointed, yet again. India has managed to work itself into winning positions in away series in the past too, only to skittle away the hard-earned chance. Who can forget the almost unbelievable collapse on the 4th innings of the 5th test against West Indies? Or the way they threw away a golden chance of sealing the series on the second day of the third test against Australia in Melbourne, after being 334/4 at the end of the first day. More recently, it was in South Africa that the Indians fell flat after a great start. The English would be hoping history repeats itself, while the Indians would be hoping for some history to be created. The stage couldn’t have been set bigger. Both Rahul Dravid and Michael Vaughan would spend some restless nights, pondering over the impact this test match could have on their legacies as captains of their side. A win in this series could elevate Rahul Dravid to the position of India’s most successful away captain ever, a title he would desperately covet. Vaughan will know that he has to win this match at any cost. The English take fierce pride in defending their home record in tests in the last 6 years. Even the indomitable Australians tasted defeat in the 2005 Ashes. They wouldn’t want to let go of this record any time soon. They know they can come back from behind in the series to share honors. They have done it before, they know they can do it again. Apart from these usual suspects, what has added spice to this test match is the huge controversy surrounding the events of the second test. Jelly-beans thrown at the batsman, on-field spat between the players, a bowler accused of deliberately bowling a beamer, a keeper whose mouth behaved like a loose cannon, you name it, the test match had it all. Consequently there would be absolutely no love lost between the two teams. Neither would any quarter be given, nor would any quarter be asked for. When the players assemble for the pre-match handshakes, there would just that bit more needle amongst them, a quiet unease. Looks will convey what words would have otherwise wanted to send across. This is competitive test match at its best. For India, the focus will again be on its seamers. They have done outstandingly well so far in this series to put India in a position of dominance. The trio of Zaheer Khan , Sreesanth and RP Singh would be hoping to combine as a unit to put pressure on the English batting line-up , which has till now , flattered to deceive. The English batting has proven to surprisingly bottom weak, with late order collapses becoming a common feature. They would be hoping to reverse that trend. The Indian batting on the other hand, showed glimpses of its potential in the first innings of the second test, largely on the back of a superb opening partnership. They would want this form to continue. This test match series has provided some extremely competitive cricket so far. As a spectator, one can expect more of the same in the third test too. Sit back and enjoy some exhilarating test cricket. May the best team win !
posted by ASHWIN KRISHNAN @ 2:17 PM
1 comments
