Running problem The Indians aren’t the best of runners between the wickets and their fielding can lag. At best it is average. Laxman and Ganguly don’t run all that well. That’s their deficiency in one-day cricket, though I must admit Laxman remains my favourite batsman. I would go anywhere to watch him bat. Indian batsmen’s batting techniques were exposed against some real pace in the last two league games at WACA. They were not going back and across on this strip where the bounce was good. But they should be back to their best on the friendlier tracks at Melbourne and Sydney. The finds on this tour Irfan Pathan Irfan Pathan very, very impressive. Few can do what he does and he is just quick enough. You don’t have to be (bowling at) 150 or 155 kmph. If you do not do enough with the ball, most fellows would hit you for fours. Brett Lee has shown that. Pathan is between 135 and 140 and pushes the ball across the right-handers or lets the ball come back in as a left-arm bowler. There will always be chance to nick it. It doesn’t matter who you are if it lands in the middle and starts to go towards the off, you would struggle. When Harbhajan and Zaheer come back from injury, and with Pathan and Balaji showing their wares, India will have a very good bowling line-up. Chopra and Sehwag I have been very impressed with Chopra and Sehwag. The way Sehwag allows you to have a look at his stumps, you sometimes have your heart in your mouth! But the two combine very well. They run very well. They look like the openers who wanted to be out there in the middle. Openers come in pair. Chopra and Sehwag must have averaged 50 as openers for the series which is a big plus. Dead pitch, india alive They have been very good batting wickets and have not deviated too much. Australians would have hoped they were a bit harder and quicker and force the players to go right back. They would have been disappointed with a few wickets which were prepared this summer. (PTI)
