If, for once, one thinks beyond Sourav Ganguly, Indian captain Rahul Dravid would have welcomed with open arms the other two Test specialist seniors who have joined the Indian team at the Chepauk. In the two Test victories that Dravid has achieved as stand-in skipper before his permanent promotion, VVS Laxman and Anil Kumble had a big role play.
Laxman8217;s highest of the match, 69 on a turning track against Australia at Mumbai in 2004, and Kumble8217;s fourth inning 6/72 against Pakistan at Multan earlier that year meant Dravid8217;s Test record as captain stands 2 out of 5. Add to that the Indian skipper8217;s high personal equation with the Karnataka leggie and professional equation 8212; formed after many a historic partnerships 8212; with Laxman and one can realise that Indian think-tank just got bigger.
At nets on eve of the Test, it seemed like an old boys8217; reunion after the generation next team was disbanded after overdose of one-day cricket. There stood 8212; facing Indian coach Greg Chappell 8212; in a row Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman, Kumble and to the extreme right Ganguly. With the skipper at the centre, inputs dropped in from either side 8212; extreme right included.
Sehwag 8212; nursing a shoulder strain and mostly seen in John Gloster8217;s company 8212; was marked absent for this ritualistic match-eve players8217; meeting next to the pitch.
Don8217;t too many opinions add to the confusion? Dravid is clear on that issue. 8216;8216;I have always insisted that as a captain I can8217;t do everything on my own. Having senior players in the side and with one of them being a former captain the experience that they bring to the team makes my job simpler,8217;8217; he says.
The departmentalisation that Dravid talked about today was very much evident during the ODI series against Lanka and South Africa. Tendulkar played the mentor and Sehwag the motivator as India after those euphoric World Cup 2003 days seemed like a unit inspired. Chappell and Dravid it seems are sticking to this open house policy despite the fact that there are just a couple of rookies 8212; RP Singh and MS Dhoni 8212; in the team.
The stature Kumble and Laxman enjoy in the team has made their transition from seniors to advisers quite easy. Kumble at the 8216;spin nets8217; along with Harbhajan Singh and Murali Kartik was the man in charge. Harbhajan and Murali constantly consulting the senior pro. And the sight of youngsters like Kaif, Yuvraj and Gambhir talking to Laxman too isn8217;t very rare.
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But what is Ganguly8217;s role in the advisory panel? This was very much evident as Dravid moved towards the pitch after the nets. Soon Ganguly made his way towards the skipper and the two had an extended discussion with their eyes fixed on the cracks and the dust that emanated from the Chepauk wicket.
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It Irfan vs Atapattu:
Irfan got him for 1 in the first ODI at Nagpur and that meant the Sri Lankan dropped down from the opening slot. He got once more in the series but Atapattu found his touch batting lower down the order. The ball that bothers Atapattu8212;and other fellow right-handers8212;is the one that jacks back after pitching on or around the off-stump. In Tests, Atapattu will be more circumspect but Pathan will have time to plan his dismissal.
Vaas vs Tendulkar:
The Lankan pacer got Tendulkar in the third ODI at Jaipur8212;caught behind while trying a tentative push outside the off stump. And that dismissal has signalled Tendulkar8217;s slump after the great start in the first two games. Vaas certainly didn8217;t live upto to his reputation in the ODI series but in case there is a cloud cover and atmosphere heavy Vaas can be more than a handful. He will be a threat not to just Tendulkar but the entire Indian top order.
Laxman vs Murali:
This happens to be a dream duel for any cricket lover. Adding mystery to this contest is the fact that the two have never crossed roads in a Test match. The odds are certainly in favour of Laxman considering his superior skills against spinners. Laxman has a tendency to play against the spin by just a mere flick of his wrists. This is one contest that will be the main feature of this series.
Malinga vs Sehwag:
Another first time in Test combination. Two unconventional cricketers who are not into the habit of reading coaching manuals. Malinga8217;s sling action makes it difficult for the batsmen to judge the trajectory of the ball. And this is where the challenge lies for Sehwag. The Indian opener likes to drive on the up and banks on the hand-eye cordination. It remains to be seen if Sehwag gets a measure of Malinga.
Jayawardene 038; Sangakkara vs Kumble-Harbhajan:
Two classical batsmen trying to negotiate a top class spin duo. The odds are high for this foursome to meet on the slow-low tracks during this series. Said to be two of the best batsman of spin this will be a big test for Jayawardene and Sangakkara. Harbhajan has found his rhythm back and Kumble too has been in his elements. Will they falter against an offie-leggie on a turning track? Well, not really since they regularly negotiate a bowler at the nets who can spin either way.
Sourav Ganguly vs His Own Form:
Fighting for the number six slot against the inform Yuvraj Singh and Mohd Kaif, Ganguly will be under pressure to perform to retain his place in the Test squad.
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3 min read
