The Hindu : A memorable victory that augurs well for the future

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 18, 2002

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Sport - Cricket

A memorable victory that augurs well for the future
By K. SRIKKANTH

The victory in Hyderabad was memorable, considering the Indians are poor chasers. And the fact that the young Yuveraj Singh and Mohammed Kaif orchestrated the series-levelling win also gives us hope for the future.

Yuveraj couldn't have chosen a better situation or stage for a comeback. First, there was pressure on him to perform, and then, walking in during desperate times with the asking rate climbing, the Punjab batsman had to go for his strokes straightaway. To top it all, this was a huge game for India, the home team on the brink of its worst ODI series defeat.

There are several aspects to this Yuveraj innings. The most noteworthy being his ability to take on responsibility and remain calm till the end. He found the gaps with strokes of both power and precision, his lofted blows, in particular, unsettling the Zimbabweans.

Stuart Carlisle certainly erred strategically when he had Grant Flower bowling over the wicket to Yuveraj. The southpaw was only too happy to strike the left-armer spinner with the turn. A medium-pacer could have done the job better. This was where the match changed course.

Kaif played his part too, running his singles well and keeping the scoreboard ticking without taking the big risks. He has been consistent and there is a maturity about his ways at the crease.

There was not much batting to come after Kaif and Yuveraj and the two responded well to the challenge on a pitch that became slower as the innings progressed.

One feels it would be in India's interests if Yuveraj bats higher up the order at No. 4 or 5, since, as a southpaw, he could provide variety in the middle-order.

Right now, Rahul Dravid is followed by Kaif and both, apart from being right-handers, are similar kind of batsmen. Getting Yuveraj in one of those slots would mean there will be a right-left combination in the heart of the middle-order.

Even as we celebrate Yuveraj Singh's comeback, we should not over-react to his failures. He is a match-winner, the kind of batsman who, if he plays ten innings, will guide India to victory in three of them. He should be persisted with.

Coming to the Indian bowling, it was good to see Ajit Agarkar striking with a genuine out-swinger. And Murali Kartik, on a comeback trail, should have been introduced soon after the 15th over when there would have been less pressure on him.

The less said about the Zimbabwe attack the better. It is probably the only side in the world, apart from Bangladesh, that doesn't have either a reputed medium-pacer or a spinner. The Indians should never have struggled against these bowlers at any stage of the series in the first place.

Zimbabwe, however, has a quality batsman. Andy Flower's brilliant innings once again revealed this experienced Zimbabwean's ability to innovate. Yuveraj's rollicking effort overshadowed everything that happened earlier though.

www.krishsrikkanth.com

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