While Indian bowling was impressive, the fielding has set worrisome trends

India performed exceedingly well at Trent Bridge, and go into the last Test at The Oval one-up in the series. Hence their attempt to secure a Test series victory in England...

India performed exceedingly well at Trent Bridge, and go into the last Test at The Oval one-up in the series. Hence their attempt to secure a Test series victory in England after 21 years has gained momentum.

The gains from the last Test were Zaheer Khan’s bowling, the Indian openers’ getting the side off to an impressive start, and the psychological advantage that will help the team think positive.

However, if there are any worries remaining on the preparation front before India can gear up for the all-important encounter, it is the side’s fielding. That disappointed during an otherwise good outing at Trent Bridge or even when they got lucky at Lord’s.

Dinesh Kaarthick happens to be one of India’s best fielders, the youngster looking extremely useful in the mid-field where once the likes of Mohammad Kaif, Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina were outstanding. For Kaarthick to drop the catch of Andrew Strauss on Day One of the first Test, a sitter that should’ve been taken, seems to have set a worrisome trend.

The fielding at Trent Bridge too — more importantly in the second innings, when youngsters like RP Singh and Sreesanth gave away easy runs to help Michael Vaughan stretch himself to his century — was disturbing enough. In comparison, it was Anil Kumble, 34 years of age, who impressed the most with his agility at point or gully.

India’s fielding coach, Robin Singh, definitely has a tough job on his hands. He has to ensure that young players don’t get carried away. “I wouldn’t say it was bad, but definitely there were slip-ups that shouldn’t have happened,” Singh had said after the Trent Bridge mistakes. The former India cricketer, however, is most impressed with the way the seniors have approached their job out in the middle. “They (the youngsters) need to take inspiration from the way the seniors have been performing,” he says.

The innings of Vaughan at Trent Bridge or even that of Kevin Pietersen at Lord’s were chanceless no doubt, but India will do better to understand that one opportunity missed can actually go on to become the decisive factor in this game.

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Ian Chappell had suggested at the start of this series that catches or even drops would play a huge role in the three Tests, especially the opportunities that come early in an innings. In retrospect, Strauss was at three when he was dropped by Kaarthick and the left-handed opener went on to score another 50 before eventually getting out, and England got the start they were looking for.

At The Oval too, the initial opportunities will come and it is for India to ensure that such mistakes don’t get repeated.