Downhill after unexpected first blow

Sachin Tendulkar was back to provide the only bright spot for Team India on the first morning here in Nagpur. Because precious little else w...

Sachin Tendulkar was back to provide the only bright spot for Team India on the first morning here in Nagpur. Because precious little else went India’s way leading up to the third Test.

Still trying to come to terms with the absence of Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan — add to that the surprise at finding the greentop — came the news that skipper Sourav Ganguly had to sit out nursing a thigh strain. Stand-in captain Rahul Dravid losing the toss too didn’t help the cause and before the crucial Test of the series, things seem to be falling apart.

But then came the turnaround and that too from the most unexpected of quarters.

It was 11.00am when it started.

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Mathew Hayden c Parthiv Patel b Zaheer Khan 23 Two players short on confidence gave India the breakthrough. The perfect start for India to make a comeback in the series and a shot in the arm for two players who had a forgettable series till then.

As was predicted by the experts, an early catch for Patel could help him regain confidence but that was not to be. A missed stumping and a dropped catch during the day meant his place is still on the line. But for Team India and Zaheer Khan the catch meant the best first session for Indian bowlers so far in the series.

With the scoreboard reading 103/3 some time after that, the Indians had overcome the pre-match uncertainty. But with the Aussies — Damien Martyn in particular — taking total control of the second session the chinks in the Indian armour were exposed.

Late in the third session the same combination had a chance to strike again but when Patel dropped Michael Clarke off Zaheer, India’s chances of finishing well on the final day were spoiled.