Indias quicks do their bit

It was the Test-match eve and the Indian teams net session was winding up.

It was the Test-match eve and the Indian teams net session was winding up. Munaf Patel and Ishant Sharma had missed breakfast,and since it was 3.30 pm already,the two pacemen were getting hunger pangs. With no fear of being mobbed here in Hamilton,they opted to pick up something on their way to the team hotel. As the duo walked off,the only thing missing from the picture was Zaheer Khan the bond between the left-arm seamer and the two apprentices is there for everyone to see. There is constant banter between them during nets and theyre almost always seen together after practice.

On Wednesday morning,Zaheer triggered the New Zealand collapse with two wickets in successive overs Martin Guptill caught in the slips for 14 and Daniel Flynn snapped up down the leg-side for a duck. When Rahul Dravid held on,after a slight fumble,to send back Guptill,he equalled Mark Waughs world record of 181 catches. Incidentally,the former Indian skipper could even have gone past later in the day,but failed to hold on to a sharp edge off Harbhajan Singhs bowling.

After Zaheers opening burst,Ishant and Munaf took over. Ishant first got through the defences of the dangerous Ross Taylor,and then induced the outside edge off the dogged Tim McIntosh. He was lucky to pick up the wicket of James Franklin,the ball going off the pad to Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the Kiwis kept crumbling.

Munaf then chipped in with a ball that rose sharply and clipped the shoulder of Brendon McCullums bat,before Jesse Ryder and Daniel Vettori came together for the days defining partnership.

While Ishants success was expected,Munafs show was the icing on the cake. In the lead-up to the Test,he hadnt quite been in the thick of action in the nets,with Laxmipathy Balaji doing the hard yards instead. Such was the ambiguity over Munaf that coach Gary Kirsten and skipper MS Dhoni were asked if all was well with the seamer with a dodgy fitness record.

Doubts were cleared when Munaf was named in the XI and,after the first days show,the fears were proved wrong. Munaf kept things tight when Ishant was taking wickets from the other end,and there was a spring in his step after he picked up McCullums wicket. His shoulders didnt drop even as Vettori and Ryder put the attack to the sword on a pitch that eased considerably after lunch. And just when things were gradually drifting away from India,he struck to get the visitors on top once again.

As Vettori edged behind the stumps,Munaf broke into a superman-like celebration,all the while looking at Sharma who was running in towards him from fine leg.

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The two added another wicket each to their tally after that and the Kiwis had been restricted to 279. The Vettori-Ryder partnership had done enough to keep this Test match alive there was a strong possibility of a rout when the teams went for lunch but despite the fightback,Indias pace trio had done enough to justify Dhonis decision to bowl first on a track that didnt really have the demons of 2003.

Sandeep Dwivedi

Sandeep Dwivedi is the Sports Editor at The Indian Express. He is one of India's most prominent sports journalists, known for his deep analytical insights and storytelling that often goes beyond scores and statistics to explore the human and cultural side of sports. Professional Profile Role: As the Sports Editor, he leads the sports coverage for the newspaper and the website. Weekly Column: He writes "The Sports Column," a weekly feature where he provides sharp, narrative-driven perspectives on the biggest sporting news of the week. Podcast: He is a frequent contributor to the "Express Sports" podcast (Game Time), where he discusses evolving trends in cricket and other international sports. Areas of Expertise While Dwivedi covers the entire sporting spectrum, his work is particularly noted in the following areas: Cricket: He provides extensive coverage of the Indian National Team and the IPL. He frequently analyzes the leadership styles of figures like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Gautam Gambhir. He is known for tracking the transition phases of Indian cricket and the evolution of specific players like Kuldeep Yadav and Rishabh Pant. Athletics & Olympic Sports: He has written extensively on Neeraj Chopra’s rise in javelin, the nuances of Indian shooting, and tennis legends like Sania Mirza and Leander Paes. Human Interest Stories: A hallmark of his writing is his focus on the struggles and backgrounds of athletes, such as the sacrifices made by Shafali Verma’s father or the "silent battles" of veteran players like Cheteshwar Pujara. Notable Recent Work & Themes Leadership and Dynamics: Recently, he has written about the dynamic between Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, arguing that personal friendship is not a prerequisite for team success. Sports & Culture: His articles often intersect with global culture, such as his deep dive into the 100-year legacy of the Harlem Globetrotters and their role as American soft power during the Cold War. The "Grey Areas" of Sport: He often addresses sensitive topics like the mental health of cricketers post-retirement, the "outrage industry" in sports broadcasting, and the impact of fan-wars on the game. Tenure and Experience Dwivedi has been with The Indian Express for over three decades. This experience allows him to provide historical context to modern sporting events, often comparing current crises or triumphs to those of previous generations. You can follow his latest work and columns on his official Indian Express Author Profile. ... Read More