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Cricket
On the opening day of the Leeds Test, Rahul Dravid once again showed why he is such a high quality player, especially in Test cricket, away from the sub-continent, which really is the true test for any batsman. At home, where the ball rarely rises above the knee level, a lot of lesser names make the headlines, but the real challenge lies in conquering where the pacemen come charging in, and the ball seams, swings and bounces. At Leeds, the ball seamed, rather alarmingly on occasions, all day on a fresh pitch and there was some uneven bounce too for the pacemen. Survival was not easy. Dravid not only survived, but also made his second century of the series. In conditions like these, a batsman has to have enormous self-belief, that will to fight it out. Loads of concentration, Dravid certainly has, and this coupled with his superb technique, the result of countless hours of practice at the nets, make him a formidable adversary in Test cricket. His Leeds century also showed that he had not allowed the imbroglio over contracts to work on his mind. But then, he has always been strong mentally. I am sure the effort in the third Test would be among Dravid's most cherished three-figure knocks in Test cricket. The English attack was strengthened with the return of Andrew Caddick, however, Dravid was equal to the task. Shot-making was never going to be easy with the ball darting around, but Dravid did produce a few memorable strokes. An innings of exceptional quality. At Nottingham, Dravid's second innings century played a huge role in India eventually forcing a draw from an adverse situation and, at Leeds, his wonderful knock has put India in a position from where it could apply pressure on England, considering this pitch may deteriorate as the match progresses. It goes without saying that Dravid is an invaluable member of the Indian side, committed, focussed and determined. Just a casual glance at his away record would reveal how important he is in the Indian scheme of things. He has a lot more to offer to Indian cricket, and it's high time that he receives adequate recognition for his glorious displays in Test cricket, that have seen him cross the 5000-run mark in only his 63rd match, the second quickest Indian to achieve the feat after the great Sunil Gavaskar. Sanjay Bangar, opening the innings, too deserves credit for slugging it out. He appears to be a gutsy cricketer, if not the most fluent one. There were times when he was uncomfortable, but, crucially, Bangar hung in there to provide Dravid support. A half century in conditions such as those in Leeds is sure to boost his confidence and might help Bangar in his bowling as well. Bangar is a limited paceman, but even if he operates within his limitations, he could play a useful supporting role. This promises to be an interesting Test match. India will have to take its chances. Down 0-1, it has to do all the running. K. SRIKKANTH
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