Tables turn in just 18 hours

Tables turn in just 18 hours
Sanjay Manjrekar

India have lost the first Test match in three days and the immediate dilemma for Saurav Ganguly is, what kind of pitch to press for in the second Test match ? His team was beaten in less than 18 hours on a turner! The third day morning had a bit of gloom about it but there was also hope with it. A hope named Sachin Tendulkar. I had the opportunity to have a fairly long conversation with the man before the start of play. And my heart went out for him as I spoke. After having played one of his best Test knocks in the first innings, a match-winning innings was expected off him today as well.

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Anything less would not have been enough for the Indian supporters. Which means a second ‘one of his best’ effort in three days. Now, this is asking too much for any one. But, yes, that is the kind of expectations people have from Tendulkar. And I thought cricket was a team game! But I must confess, he looked unbelievably relaxed for a man in his position. Harsha Bhogale, writer and commentator, was accurate when he once said that Sachin Tendulkar’s greatest achievement is that, he has fulfilled all expectations off him. As it turned out it was not one of Tendulkar’s special day. In fact he had three very unlucky days in this Test match. After having played an impeccable innings on the first day, one serious mistake and he was back in the pavilion.

He did not even make that mistake in the second innings. A perfect pull shot that ricocheted off Justin Langer at short leg and ballooned, seemingly out of reach of Ricky Ponting, at mid wicket. The finish of sequence? Ponting somehow manages to get his fingers underneath the ball to take the most brilliant catch you will ever see. I always wondered why the Australians compared Ponting to Jonty Rhodes of South Africa. I don’t do that anymore.

After Tendulkar’s exit Ganguly got himself run out. Dravid followed him soon and it was curtains for India. Many would suggest that the Australians were lucky with Tendulkar’s dismissal and the gift, in the shape of a run out of the Indian captain. But, I tell you what, only a great fielding side could have made both dismissals possible. A lesser fielding side and that would have been a ‘chance’ for Tendulkar and Ganguly and with it, a different script for the Test match.

-- (SportsNet Syndication)