Glorious Gambhir leads Indian assault
On: Monday, November 3, 2008
New Delhi: Batting with Virender Sehwag can be weird. It can make an opener insecure; even make him self-destruct. Gautam Gambhir is perhaps the only one out of a slew of recent openers who can play both foil and aggressor with relative ease.
His second-innings hundred in Mohali established him as he matched Sehwag shot for shot. But in Delhi, he came out of the shadow of Sachin Tendulkar with an imposing century which itself was compiled in two different phases, as India closed the opening day of the third Test on 296-3 at Ferozeshah Kotla here.
Since coming back to the Indian Test squad, Gautam Gambhir had been frequently accused of throwing away starts. As a well-set Tendulkar gave way at the stroke of tea, Gambhir changed gears in so swift a motion that it went unnoticed until he reached triple figures by charging Shane Watson for an audacious six over long-on.
Gambhir's 149 not out has laid the perfect platform for India to build on. And it is in this sense his century is all the more creditable.
Delhi's cricket lovers woke up early after late night celebrations on Diwali but were left rubbing their eyes in disbelief as India were reduced to 27-2, jolted early by a fired up Australian bowling outfit after captain Anil Kumble elected to bat first.
By lunch, Gambhir and Tendulkar had accumulated 25 and 26 respectively, and although their intent was bordering on the trend set in previous games, lapses of concentration was evident in their frequent plays and misses. But a little less that 40 minutes later, the wild swipes were replaced by willow meeting leather with characteristic disdain.
After a routine felicitation before the start of play – Sehwag presented Tendulkar with a pair of shoes on behalf of the DDCA (almost every run Tendulkar makes warrants a record these days) – India didn't get off to their familiar start as has been the trend. But Tendulkar and Gambhir had set India up beautifully, stitching together 130 runs in good time before Mitchell Johnson, their best bowler on show in this series, had Tendulkar caught behind for 67.
Although they managed to avoid a catastrophe, India would have been happier had they not lost a wicket in the second session.
Even the textbook seeks an illustration when Sachin Tendulkar is at his best. Though he didn't seem to show it, the burden of expectations were piling up on the batting maestro as he neared the inevitable of surpassing Brian Lara.
But once the record was behind him, he was back doing what he does best. At Mohali he proved it, and in Delhi he reinforced the theory with a half-century supreme in its composition. In all he hit 11 fours, and each were a product of the Tendulkar school of masterclass.
Gambhir, meanwhile, was combative in his approach as much literally, so much so that match referee Chris Broad might summon him for a hearing after he charged into Shane Watson while taking a run. Thereafter, though, it was his flowing blade that did the talking.
The Delhi left-hander was more than happy to play second fiddle when Tendulkar was in the zone. But as his senior partner was sent back, Gambhir dazzled the crowds with an array of powerful drives with equally deft footwork. And just when you would have expected him to take it easy as he approached his third Test century, Gambhir blocked the first delivery from Watson and then launched into the bowler for maximum.
Amid Tendulkar's genius and Gambhir's brute assault, VVS Laxman was busy building up the momentum. His fifty came in no time, but along with building on their unbeaten 139-run fourth wicket stand, he had also to pacify the mercurial Gambhir, who was engaged in another altercation with Simon Katich towards the end of day's play.
It won't be unusual for Gambhir to be satisfied after his back-to-back hundreds. But with him India have finally ended their long history of doing away with openers in short time.
Gambhir, Laxman double tons set the tone for India
New Delhi: VVS Laxman has made a career out of pummeling Australia. So after having two quiet Test matches by his standards, Laxman resumed usual duties in emphatic style with his second double hundred, as India sounded the declaration after posting 613-7 in their first innings.
Laxman rounded off India's innings in grand style, as his unbeaten 200 came on the back of Gautam Gambhir's splendid 206 which came earlier in the day that included a 278-run stand, the highest for any wicket at Ferozeshah Kotla. After a momentary lapse that cost India three wickets in the middle session, captain Anil Kumble and Zaheer Khan rubbed it in with brisk 45 and 28 respectively.
Never had India two double centuries figuring in the same innings earlier. And Gambhir and Laxman's effort ensured Australia would be playing to catch up for the rest of the Test match.
Anil Kumble and Amit Mishra did trouble the openers with prodigiously turning deliveries, but Australia, who closed the second day on 50 without loss, seem to have learnt their lesson from Mohali, and might just think of holding on until Nagpur for the final Test.
Laxman drove, flicked and pulled with contempt to reach his 13th Test hundred and sixth against Australia, and moments later completed 2000 runs against them, while Gautam Gambhir, whose knock on the first day bore all signs of an epic in the making, lived up to it.
Laxman's calm can be judged by the strokes his plays. He went unnoticed to his fifty as Gambhir soaked in all the adulation with his second century on the trot on the first day, but the first session of the second day belonged to the class of the Hyderabadi.
India had a quiet start to the second day but picked up as Laxman took charge of the proceedings, despite a fortuitous escape when Brett Lee had him fending a bouncer awkwardly which went over the slip cordon.
There was no fortune thereafter. By stumps on the opening day itself, their partnership had reached threatening proportions, but an early wicket could have given Australia a look-in. But by the time the duo was separated, their 278-run stand had had all but confirmed that only a miracle would keep India from losing their hold in the game, and tellingly perhaps, the series.
It became almost boring the way Gambhir and Laxman treated the Australian bowlers, and it was almost inevitable that a wicket would fall. A desperate Ricky Ponting threw himself on for a couple of overs, and only a loss in concentration, dare one say, brought the stand to an end. Shane Watson's first over of the day had Gautam Gambhir inside-edging onto the stumps as the batsman walked off amid raucous cheers for 206.
Gambhir's knock on day two was sedate compared to his assault on Wednesday. He looked happy to be playing second fiddle, and admired from the other end as Laxman came into his own. His 206 was epic in every sense of the term: it had him negotiating when the bowlers were on top, knocked the ball around when his partners found their rhythm, and tore into the bowling when he was on the top of his game.
Elegant strokeplay defines both Gambhir and Laxman in equal measure. What sets them apart is the way they construct their innings. They put the theory in practice with 400 runs between them.
Sehwag's triple-strike keeps India in hunt
New Delhi: Virender Sehwag may not put a value on his wicket. When he bats, he keeps the No. 3 batsman on his toes. But his team knows the value of his bowling, as he took three crucial wickets on a day leading spinner and captain Anil Kumble walked off the ground with a finger injury.
Australia were set for a hard grind to stay in the third Test at Ferozeshah Kotla here, after India's assault set them back by 613 runs during the first two days of the match. But the batsmen, led by Ricky Ponting's defiant 87 and Matthew Hayden's gritty 83, put up admirable resistance to close the third day on 338-4.
Though still needing 75 runs to avoid the follow-on, the Aussie batsmen saw off an eventful day's play that saw bees swarming the Kotla and Anil Kumble being taken to hospital with excruciating pain, giving Virender Sehwag an extended spell which brought him three wickets off viciously turning deliveries.
Australia did all the hard work to only allow India a wicket in each session, before Sehwag produced a peach to remove Michael Hussey three overs before stumps for a dogged 53.
But Australia could consider it a day of victories. The scores against their names would not have matched up to that of Gautam Gambhir and VVS Laxman, but all their partnerships showed determination written large on their faces. The batsmen blunted the pace attack, and negotiated the turning ball to great effect.
Australia needed a day like this to keep their chances in the series alive. On a day which was spiced up by Zaheer Khan striking Hayden with a bouncer with the second ball of the day, it provided little in terms of entertainment value evident on day one and two.
Hayden had declared his intentions to bounce back from his dry run with the bat, but curbed his aggression enormously, reminiscent of his double hundred in Chennai seven years ago. His intentions from Mohali didn't surface, which had a bearing on Australia's 320-run defeat, and put the sweep shot to good effect against some dangerously turning deliveries from the rough off Amit Mishra.
He survived a couple of edges but put them behind with bouts of his tamed aggression coming to the fore. But his reaction after his dismissal said it all. After a resolute 83, which included a partnership of 79 with his captain during the most threatening passage of play, Virender Sehwag forced him back in the crease, as the ball straightened enough to trap him in front of the stumps, although the height suggested the ball could have gone over the stumps.
With Kumble injured, India faced a spin handicap until Sehwag took a leaf out of Mishra's book, who was turning the ball square by then. Even Harbhajan Singh would have been ruing his injury on a wicket where Sehwag was giving nightmares.
Ponting, who has been battling for answers ever since his side landed in India, took it upon himself to lead Australia's defence against a Kotla surface increasingly turning spitefully. He countered Ishant Sharma with tremendous grit, and signs of his prowess against spin became evident as lunged forward to blunt the spin but didn't lose out on scoring opportunities.
But as was the case with Hayden, one lapse in concentration was enough, as a flighted off-spinner slipped between bat and pad as Ponting departed for 87.
Simon Katich has by far been the most consistent of performers in a team flooded with big names. But as his statistics indicated, it would have been imperative for Katich to go on for a bigger score, assuring his side of resistance on the face of an inconsistent batting order and the turning ball.
However, a peach off Amit Mishra, which turned in from a yard outside the off-stump, undid the left-hander as he gave him the charge only for the ball to go through his defence to uproot the middle stump for 64.
India's butter fingers spill chance to seal series
New Delhi: India's woeful catching left a gaping hole in their attempt at winning the third Test at the Kotla as the hosts helped Australia on to 577 in their first innings before losing two early wickets to be 43-2 at stumps on day four here, with an overall lead of 79 runs.
Virender Sehwag, who led India's bowling attack with a maiden five-wicket haul, failed to replicate his stellar effort with the bat as Brett Lee had him inside-edging onto his stumps for 16, before night-watchman Ishant Sharma was sent back in the next over by Stuart Clark, leaving Rahul Dravid (5) and Gautam Gambhir (21) to negotiate the remaining overs.
India, who had been pushing for a win to wrap up the series at the Kotla itself, now have to be content with shoring the game with the wicket not having deteriorated as much. With only a 36-run lead to boot, repeating their pyrotechnics of Mohali does not look like a possibility.
Michael Clarke took full advantage of India's misses with his eighth Test century, setting up an admirable fightback for Australia to compile a composed 112, marshalling their lower order which included a 106-run eighth wicket stand with Cameron White (44).
Clarke, along with Cameron White – whose primary role that of a leg-spinner has been under scrutiny – took Australia out of harm's way, before Sehwag – each of his wickets have broken a prospering partnership – had Cameron White out for 44 for his maiden five-for.
Sehwag finished with career-best figures of 5-104 after sending down 40 overs on a wicket which started taking prodigious turn from day three, while Anil Kumble, who was criticised for his wicketless showing in Bangalore, had 3-112 against his name.
The Indian captain, who returned to the field with 11 stitches on his left hand, finished off the proceedings by leading the way, scampering back to hold on to a catch to remove Mitchell Johnson off his own bowling on a day that saw the hosts drop catch after catch.
Clarke's century, which backed up Australia's top order all of whom got runs here, was benefited from an early chance spilled by Ishant Sharma in the fourth over of the day when he was on 21, before he was helped on to his century by sitters grassed by VVS Laxman and Amit Mishra.
Virender Sehwag expressed his desire to get a five-for at the Kotla, but his team-mates were making it increasingly tough for him. Michael Clarke's attempted slog sweep on 91 had VVS Laxman scampering back, and even though he got underneath the skier, he never steadied himself as he grassed the opportunity on his 34th birthday.
Amit Mishra dropped a sitter at square leg the following over when the batsman was on 94. Sehwag couldn't pull his hair out on this one, but compensated when another of his tweakers castled Cameron White, who frustrated the Indians for a session.
By the time Clarke fell – caught by Zaheer Khan off Mishra after a mammoth six-hour effort – Australia had more or less made a successful comeback in a Test that was dominated by India for the first two days.
Resuming their innings on 338-4, Clarke and Shane Watson motored along at a healthy rate as the duo put on 57 runs inside the first hour of play, taking a boundary almost every over.
But just as day three, where Sehwag's wickets would have made Harbhajan Singh proud, the part-time spinner produced another beauty when Watson came forward but the ball, pitching outside, broke sharply off the surface and clipped leg-stump.
Kumble, who had failed to capture a wicket in the series so far and injured himself on the third day, made an immediate impact by having Brad Haddin stumped for 17.
After two days of suffering on the field largely due to double centurions Gambhir and Laxman, and a batting order that had thus far disappointed, Australia have made a triumphant return to the series, living to fight another day.
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