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Journalism of Courage
Players like Rajat Bhatia make it to the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy only when their domestic team qualifies for this season-opening tournament. While picking the India Blue and Red squads,the selectors dont consider 33-year-olds with no international past or future. In the final at the Holkar Stadium,however,the Delhi all-rounder looked the part as he stood out with his bowling skills.
At a venue where pacers have regularly gone for more than six an over Umesh Yadav went for 9-plus on Saturday Bhatia finished with figures of 12-0-56-4. The wily domestic star showed that planning and plotting can get success on lifeless tracks.
Next in was Yuvraj Singh. Bhatia started by bowling three deliveries on an off-stump line. He soon changed his line to middle-and-leg,and rapped Yuvrajs pads. Almost instantly,Bhatia asked Virender Sehwag to move from short third man to slip.
The fielding change almost worked. As Bhatia changed his line from middle to off,while sticking to the same length,Yuvraj edged. Luckily for the batsman,the ball flew between the wicket-keeper and slip.
Bhatia now knew that Yuvraj could be kept quiet by constantly changing the line. Though he was hit for a four in his third over by the India Blue skipper,Bhatia had the last laugh. The fourth ball of his seventh over was a touch short. It pitched on leg and went on to hit Yuvrajs back leg as he tried to play it on the on side. The umpire raised his finger.
Bhatia also showed how a nagging line can keep the batsmen guessing. When Abhishek Nayar kept pushing him for singles,Bhatia stuck to the same line but moved the length a bit shorter.
The batsman missed the trick and was trapped in front of the stumps. Bhatias stock wont rise in Indian cricket after this spell but he will continue to be seen as the wily old journeyman who even top pros are wary of.
Siddhartha is a senior correspondent,based in New Delhi.
siddhartha.sharmaexpressindia.com
