Records, Tons and Missapprehensions

India’s test victory in Bangladesh was certainly commendable and the team deserves credit for this victory. It is correct to say that the team has not received as much credit as they really deserved. Against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe - unfortunately for our national cricketing representatives – if the team emerges triumphant, the commons don’t pay much attention to it saying that it was only Bangladesh and there is hue and cry if they lose.

India has shown good batting form - I am told Ton Ton Ton Ton was the headline in the Times of India - in Bangladesh and deservedly came out victorious. But, the team – amongst other more important issues – must be wondering what it is that the country wants from them. This form they have now should be used to the fullest and should be capitalised upon. India next goes to England. The conditions there are a little more trying from our point of view. England is performing extremely well against the West Indies, with the southpaw Ryan Sidebottom staging a remarkable comeback, Kevin Pietersen coming of age and Michael Vaughan reminding his fans of the class he possesses (at least in test cricket.) Still, England has performed against West Indies and really has not dominated over a good opposition in the recent past with the exception of the ODI series against New Zealand and Australia after the Ashes earlier this year.

India will go to the former home of cricket with the memories of the record they set with all four top batsmen scoring centuries. But, the fact that the batting was so successful partially because of the weather - which is prima facie against the players – has to be appreciated. Had the heat not taken its toll on Wasim Jaffer, had he not retired and batted through, Dravid would have come in later and we all know that every minute with the pads on in the pavilion reduces the potential out in the middle. More significantly, if the heat was just a little less and Dinesh Karthik continued batting, he could not have been in a condition bad enough to go out and yet so tired that he would have had to work twice as hard to bring up that century. Sachin and Dravid batted with that extra bit confidence that they had come in without a single wicket having fallen.

I am in no manner taking credit away from the Indian batsmen. It is important that they do not get complacent and overconfident – which by the way was why they so badly lost the World Cup – ahead of the English tour. By the way, four batsmen accounted for that 408 run first wicket stand. Let’s see what revolutionary Dav can do -BS

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