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Uphill task for the Windies

It was a pathetic batting display by the West Indians in the first innings. There was absolutely no application from the frontline batsmen, and the visitors, now face an uphill battle for survival in the Mumbai Test.

There was some turn for the spinners, but it has been, by no means, a bad wicket, at least till the conclusion of the third day, and the West Indian collapse was quite inexplicable.

Having said this, you cannot take away any credit from the Indian bowlers since they stuck to the task. Zaheer Khan was outstanding in the attack once again, and he really appears to be improving with every match.

It was hot and humid in Mumbai, and the conditions were not easy for a paceman, however, Zaheer seldom let the pressure ease on the West Indian batsmen. All credit to him for his lion-hearted display.

Anil Kumble supported him well with his leg-spin, and this performance would have boosted this experienced cricketer's confidence. He has been having a rough time over the past few days.

In the Indian batting, Rahul Dravid completed his fourth Test hundred in four innings, and it really is a wonderful achievement. There was some pressure on India early on the second day, with Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly departing early.

However, Dravid held the innings together, and it was essentially due to his century that India managed to cross 400.

In fact, during the later stages of his innings, Dravid, bothered by cramps, was in considerable pain, yet he carried on till it was no longer physically possible for him to continue. I doff my hat off to him.

The useful innings from the young Parthiv Patel also caught my attention. These are early days for him in Test cricket, however, he has already shown a willingness to battle it out. He is indeed a fine prospect.

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