Indians looked like fair-weather batsmen

The Pakistani bowling, barring the odd delivery, was not extraordinary. But Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammed Asif and Abdul Razzaq were allowed to dictate terms. True, Dravid and Laxman fell to good balls, but the others looked like novices. Ganguly’s dismissal off a hook, which he played despite the knowledge that the field had been set specifically to tempt him into essaying that very stroke, was a shocker.

Not only were the Indian batsmen diffident, they were also excessively cautious. A batsman cannot and should not be obsessed with caution on a wicket that is helping the bowlers. This wicket may be helping the bowlers, but it is very much a strokeplayer’s wicket. Batsmen who play positively and play each delivery on merit will enjoy themselves on such a strip. The Indian batsmen did not take a leaf out of Akmal’s book. The Pakistani wicketkeeper-batsman displayed a big heart and guts. It’s difficult for a batsman to bat for a whole day on a wicket of this nature. The best option is to attack the bowling and disturb the bowlers’ line and length. That is what I used to do, and that is what Akmal and Razzaq did.

This wicket has seen some remarkable bowling by both sides, but to my mind, the ‘worst’ is over as far as the batsmen are concerned. It will get better and better for batting in the next couple of days.

This is why I reckon that Pakistan won’t feel secure even if they manage to take an overall lead of 300-350. For India possesses the firepower to get those runs. Pakistan will aim at stretching its lead as much as possible. On the other hand, the Indians should block the flow of runs.

This match, according to me, is still wide open.

(PMG)