Late bloomers

The glorious uncertainties of cricket finally fell in place to India's advantage on Wednesday. With his knock of 183, Saurav Ganguly reaf...

The glorious uncertainties of cricket finally fell in place to India8217;s advantage on Wednesday. With his knock of 183, Saurav Ganguly reaffirmed his princehood of Calcutta and, with his uncharacteristically aggressive yet distinctively classic back-to-back centuries, Rahul Dravid finally slayed the mental monsters he has been battling for three years. It was a veritable moment of revelation: a match can actually be won without Sachin.

It was also a moment of magic: amidst the steely professionals, two batsmen brought back the enchantment of days gone by, they demonstrated that old fashioned nonchalance and skill could be as effective as 8212; and so much more mesmerising than 8212; a gritty and muscular blitz. It was a day when the India XI could do no wrong and even bits-and-pieces Robin Singh unexpectedly chipped in with the best figures by an Indian bowler in a World Cup fixture.

And even when someone faltered 8212; Azhar8217;s dropped catch, Dravid8217;s butter fingers behind the stumps 8212; forgiveness came in abundantmeasure. Given the national proclivity to instant amnesia, who remembers the dismal displays of yesterday amidst the rapid replays of today!

So, has India8217;s World Cup campaign begun in right earnest? Have India8217;s classy duo rewritten a so-far depressing narrative? The bookies would seem to think so, they have shortened India8217;s odds. And yet, it could take just one day to change all this, just one humiliating defeat and the horns will be re-affixed on Azhar8217;s saints.

Ganguly and Dravid8217;s place is ensured in Indian cricketing folklore, their thumbprints will endure; but while relishing the enchantment of Wednesday, it should not be forgotten how it began, how it could have turned out. The murmured prophecies of doom were deafening in India8217;s initial overs. They had lost what was thought to be a vital toss in a do-or-die game, the team fielding first was bound to have the advantage. Sachin was batting two down; India could not pile up a big total with Ganguly pottering about, went the thinking, he would doan entire nation a favour by sacrificing his wicket and letting the little master do what he does best.

In short, India wrested a match in style for which they had no gameplan to speak of. One match away from a possible place in the super six, India are still struggling for the perfect bowling balance, for the ideal batting order, for a realistic target to set for the opposition, for a strategy for the middle overs.

They are still not agreed on whether the world8217;s best batsman should open. Individual performances always lend a memorable touch to sporting extravaganzas, but they count for nothing in knock-out tournaments. It is tempting, given the circumstances and the environs, to compare Ganguly8217;s knock to Kapil Dev8217;s unbeaten 175 at Tunbridge Wells 8212; a legendary innings made all the more legendary by the fact that no film of it exists 8212; and envision Azhar uncorking the champagne at Lords on June 20. But as they say, tomorrow is another day, a day when Dravid and Co will have to survive the pace ofMullally and Gough.