India’s soft underbelly exposed

It's just the second day of the first Test, the sun is on its way down over Antigua, and you can already sense that sinking feeling.

It’s just the second day of the first Test, the sun is on its way down over Antigua, and you can already sense that sinking feeling. Yes, Team India is just about hanging in there — only an inspired session, a match-winning spell, a miracle catch can turn this game around now.

Going into this match with one their most inexperienced bowling attacks ever, with Sreesanth falling apart as the day wore on and VRV Singh failing to hit the “right areas”, there’s only one shoulder India can hope to lean on now. Yes, Anil Kumble is already on the job — Chris Gayle down, caught off guard by the extra bounce, and Ramnaresh Sarwan struggling to stay afloat.

Did someone say Harbhajan Singh?

In fact, without that wicket of Gayle (91-ball 72, 13 fours and one six), it would have been a rout. For, any hopes India had of an early Caribbean collapse — after their “competitive” 241 — were shattered when the Jamaican tore into Sreesanth this morning.

Despite his bravado with the bat, the Kerala speedster failed to get going where it really mattered, losing his line, length and steel. Sample his fifth over of the day: 6, 0, 0, 0, 4, 4. The ball, after that first shot, was recovered from outside the Recreation Ground.

The next over, VRV Singh, who first made headlines by topping a speedsters’ contest at Chandigarh two years ago, ran into a different challenge. His debut over: 4, 0, 4, 0, nb, 0, 4. Did someone say Irfan Pathan, or Ajit Agarkar?

Well, to be fair, Sreesanth is just two Tests old and VRV Singh is making his debut. They need time. But their performance only proved how the decision to thrust this challenge on them may have gone horribly wrong.

Today, only Munaf Musa Patel looked anywhere near the pace bowler that India needed to utilise this wicket. He had the pace, nearing 140 kmph more than a few times, and most importantly, the right length — one that makes the batsman ever so slightly unsure on what to do with that front foot. It paid. First, with the wicket of Daren Ganga, caught in front, and then, after some hammering, the big one, of Brian Lara, slashing one lifter to Yuvraj at point.

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India’s 241 looks all too near now; the West Indians might even overhaul it by the end of the day. And in that case, they would look to score another 100, and simply take over the match.