Finally, team India clicks together

There may be some doubt about his batting form, but the way his drifting medium-pace cutters shredded the Zimbabwe middle-order with a three-wicket burst for only 12 runs in 4.1 overs displayed the sort of confidence the Prince of Kolkata has. He is a shrewd one all right and Zimbabwe became all too aware of his streetwise leadership in a moment of crisis.

The result was that India, having slipped to the lowest point on the World Cup ladder last Saturday, found the character needed to win what was an important Pool A game when they dismissed Zimbabwe for 172 in reply to India’s 255. For a change it was the bowlers who pulled it together in a great exhibition of bowling.

Led by Javagal Srinath with a haul of two for 14 in eight overs, India got it right as the bowling, supported by tighter fielding and a generally better all-round display, undid whatever chance Zimbabwe had. For a start Srinath, who has often torn a hole in the Zimbabwe top-order, gave the tight, disciplined display needed for the two early wickets.

After that came Ganguly, smiling as his Bengal features beguiled the cobra out of the basket, and he struck with deadly cunning. Grant Flower must still be wondering what delivery cost him his wicket while the efforts attempting to hit boundaries via the aerial route failed. As India took control of the game from this point, the Zimbabwe innings lost direction.

Part of India’s revival was how they shrugged aside their poor batting displays in New Zealand and South Africa as they worked their way towards a competitive target with a first-wicket partnership of 99 before Virender Sehwag lost his wicket for 36. It was minor hiccup as Sachin Tendulkar carried on in his indomitable way; there were drives, pulls and cuts, all played with handsome power and style.

What was welcoming, however, was how India’s batting showed no signs at all of being shellshocked from the Australian bowling blitz at Centurion five days earlier where they crumbled in spineless disarray. From the start Sehwag and Tendulkar set about the Zimbabwe bowling without a glance behind to see if there were any ghosts lurking in the pavilion.

It was sensible to restore Sehwag to his position as opener. The experiment of using him down the order was a frustrating experience for a man who has scored most of his one-day runs up front. He likes to attack from the start and it showed again today when he went after the Zimbabwe bowlers in the way he knows best: full frontal attack.

It might be an idea, should India meet Australia in the semi-finals, to revert to Sehwag as an opener to give them a taste of the curry-style strokeplay he can dish up. So far it has been reserved for New Zealand and England. One of these days he is going to blast his way into the thoughts of other sides.

Perhaps there was some luck for India in Flower injuring his hand when trying to take a catch to get rid of Rahul Dravid. All he got for his efforts was split webbing between the fingers and three stitches. At that stage he had travelled for only 14 runs off six overs and he had troubled the Indian batsmen with Dinesh Mongia perhaps wondering how safe is his plce in the side and ahead of, say, Sanjay Bangar.

These are options the captain and coach can explore. Ahead lie Namibia, armed with whose scalp Ganguly and boys should face England. Then Pakistan. The fun has just started.