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Indian pacemen to the fore

Our bowlers have done well throughout the series, and once again they helped India fight back in the second Test.

Whatever be the result of the second Test, the performance of the Indian pacemen has been heartening. Especially the display of Zaheer Khan.

The left-arm seamer is going from strength to strength and his consistency over the last one year has been exceptional. He has bowled with pace and maintained a nice line and rhythm.

His performances in this series deserve even more praise since he returned from a knee injury. It is Zaheer's persistence that has lifted the standards of the Indian bowling, the others rallying around him. With Javagal Srinath absent, there has been extra pressure on Zaheer to deliver and he has not let the side down. I feel he is only going to get better with experience.

For a side that is skittled out for 99 in the first innings, to fight back in a Test match is almost unthinkable, but India has managed it, thanks to the bowlers, who have really been the team's strength in New Zealand.

There was a lot of movement for the pacemen from both the sides, and batting called for a lot of hard work. For India, as expected, only Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar managed to make an impression on this pitch. Moving Virender Sehwag down the order was belated but welcome, since he has been struggling as an opener in these conditions.

I have been maintaining all along that these two are the only true world class batsmen in the side, with the ability to get runs on all kinds of pitches. The third day's play of second Test was yet another example. I was a tame performance by the New Zealand batsmen in the first innings. They had a fine chance to put the match out of India's reach, but lost the opportunity. After all, they must have been familiar with these conditions.

K.SRIKKANTH

www.kris-srikkanth.com

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