Dravid century lights up Indian batting

Dravid century lights up Indian batting
PRADEEP MAGAZINE

HOBART, DECEMBER 17: But for a major slump at the end of the day's play, India had one of the best batting days on their tour of Australia today with Rahul Dravid (103: 257b, 324b, 10x4), at last, finding his touch to score a hundred and Hrishikesh Kanitkar (58: 140b, 176m, 6x4) enhancing his chances of making a Test debut at Melbourne.

It was a day best spent indoors as throughout, a strong cold breeze blew across the ground, the clouds kept hovering above and a shower sent players into the pavilion for a brief period. It was not the kind of day which makes for pleasant batting. India won the toss and began their innings with VVS Laxman being tried out as an opener. The wicket was a bit lively in the morning, though there wasn't much in the pace of Damien Fleming and Andrew Downton to unsettle the batsman. But Laxman disappointed, failing to control himself outside the off stump and departed for a duck. Laxman, who began this tour in style has had a slump in his form, and the tour selectors may well haveto rethink on sending him to open in the Tests.

Sadagopan Ramesh once again showed his excellent timing and also, that when he strikes the ball, it stays hit. But he is afflicted by one major failing. He has not shown the concentration needed to play a long innings and when well set, he poked at a ball outside the off stump and fell well short of even a half century.

Dravid has no such problems and today he looked in command right from ball one. He played his shots with greater freedom on both sides of the wicket. His hundred here, after his string of failures, should do a world of good for his confidence, even if the Tasmanian attack was not a very testing one.

The Indians, in search of a batsman to bat at No. 6 slot, may have found their man in Kanitkar. The left-hander from Pune, cut and drove elegantly to make a neat, elegant half century. Kanitkar's competitor for the same slot, Vijay Bharadwaj, too, was batting well till his sloppiness in running between the wicket cost him his wicket. What anopportunity wasted! There was a dip in India's fortunes at the end of the day's play, losing three quick wickets Bharadwaj, Dravid and Ganguly for the addition of only 14 runs to shorten the broadness of their smiles.