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Journalism of Courage
It can so often be a cruel game; one where an umpire’s decision going against the fielding side results in further aggravation as a boundary results off the next ball. Or where frustration has a ripple effect on a team’s psyche after overthrows is the result of careless ground fielding.
This is where a team’s mental strength is put on trial and also where a captain needs to take control of over-heated situations. It is where Stephen Fleming has handled the New Zealand side well and earned the title of the world’s top captain.
Rahul Dravid’s inexperience in leadership skills surfaced at times as the Inzamam/Youhana partnership took control of the game in the day’s crucial third session. Until then, the Test had largely drifted along, waiting for someone to assert some authority on the proceedings. This despite the Imran Farhat century and his eventual downfall to some smart bowling tactics by Balaji.
It has been a day’s play where Irfan Pathan learnt how hard it is to bowl in such conditions and where Dravid added to his education of how to handle his bowlers. Unlike Multan, there was no big total to cushion India’s victory aspirations and Inzi did much to dominate the second and third sessions.
At least at the end of the day’s play Anil Kumble and Inzi were able to patch up their disagreement over the ball the tall leg-spinner hurled and hit the batsman with. It resulted in the sort of verbal fracas that can get out of hand if not controlled.
This created new territory for the Karnataka batsman and his normally stoic calm and unruffled air. Trying to lift a side back on their feet and create that competitive edge is far from easy. It was noticeable in Sydney when Sourav was in charge and so far it is has been largely Pakistan’s game.
It will happen where the batsmen take control and the implacable batting styles of Inzi and Youhana in this partnership of 150 for the fourth wicket tested more than the thinking of how to break the partnership. Even the ground fielding at times created its own problems as bowlers battled with conditions which gave them something but not quite enough to get the wickets they wanted.
So far Agarkar has been a serious disappointment as a replacement for the injured Zaheer Khan. You cannot hope to serve up a succession of half-volleys and other assorted bad balls and expect to remain in the attack. Apart from taking the pressure off the batting side, it adds to the captain’s problem of what to do for a replacement. Pakistan have won four of the six sessions, with one shared and India marginally ahead on day one when Yuvraj took charge of India’s lower order. As for the rest it has been a struggle as the pitch becomes easier for batting. Putting more runs on the board today and aiming for a 300-run lead is what Inzi will be aiming to do.
It will take the game not so much away from India but place pressure on the top six to make a game of it over what remains of day three as well as days four and five. There are nine sessions left and the heat is going to be on India to display the courage and character learnt in Australia.
