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Sehwag keeps India in hunt
By Sanjay Rajan
PERFECT TIMING: Virender Sehwag's century couldn't have come at a better time for India. - Photo: V. V. Krishnan
CHENNAI, OCT. 15. Australia staged a comeback despite the butter-fingered display by its fielders, including 'keeper Adam Gilchrist, but an unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 58 between Md. Kaif and Parthiv Patel saw India finish on a confident note at 291 for six on day two of the second Test for the TVS Cup Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Chidambaram Stadium on Friday.
Virender Sehwag was the one who made the difference for India with a knock of 155. The opener's innings was like the curate's egg — good in patches. He had the luck all right, but without such an effort from him the host would have been in the doldrums.
India had every reason to smile at stumps. Ahead by 56 runs, young India has displayed that it is capable of taking it further. A lead of over 150 would put India in the driver's seat on a pitch with low bounce.
The pressure of the situation told on Adam Gilchrist. It was apparent that the stand-in skipper was missing Ricky Ponting; not only as a premier batsman or captain, but also Punter's sure pair of hands, which rarely missed any at second slip, gully or cover-point.
Kaif batted extremely well for one playing in a Test after three seasons. The Uttar Pradesh batsman and Patel displayed grit in pushing back a resurgent Australia, which scented blood after the exit of V.V.S. Laxman and Sehwag in the space of 20 runs. At 233 for six, India was in a spot of bother.
Kaif and Patel handled Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie impressively even after the second new ball was taken in the 89th over. The frustration was clearly evident on Gillespie's countenance when Warne, at first slip, dropped Patel. But then, the day had been a trying one on the whole for the visitor; the last hour or so of which, was played with the floodlights on.
Sehwag and Pathan frustrated the Australian attack in the morning with their sound defence. The former displayed maturity when he worked himself back to form by cutting out risk and playing straight.
It didn't mean that he spared loose deliveries; it isn't in his nature to decline such offerings, as he pulled and cover-drove McGrath for boundaries. But then, he and the talented Pathan had displayed patience against the Australian accuracy in the morning: only 11 runs were scored in the first 10 overs. Never mind the slow run rate, for a quality bowling attack is dangerous in the first hour. India had won the first round battle.
Pathan swatted Warne for a six with a pull-sweep. But the left-hander became the leg-spinner's world record-breaking (533) victim when he edged to Hayden at slip, playing for the turn. Their stand was worth 55; Pathan had done his bit. He has the makings of an all-rounder.
Too many loose balls
Gilchrist rotated his medium-pacers, but a second specialist spinner would have been extremely effective. There were times when Warne operated with three men around the bat, only to bowl loose deliveries that took the pressure off the batsman. At lunch the score was 101 for two.
Sehwag and Dravid put on 95 for the third wicket. Warne had Sehwag edging past slip, but the blaster from Najafgarh swept the blond leg-spinner for successive boundaries.
Sehwag reached his century with two boundaries off Kasprowicz. It was his seventh Test hundred, and thankfully for India it was a big one. It can always be said it was a chancy knock; but the impressive aspect of his batsmanship has always been adaptability. You learn to accept him as he is.
Speaking about his innings, Sehwag said, "I realised that I'd be able to convert it into a hundred after I got to fifty. Early on, I tried to eliminate risk, and started playing my shots only after I was sure of connecting properly."
Gilchrist introduced left-arm spinner Darren Lehmann, and Sehwag swept him to the fence twice. Dravid was dismissed, playing on to Kasprowicz. Sourav Ganguly had two reprieves outside the off-stump, even before he got to five. The second was a sitter, dropped by Gilchrist, when Kasprowicz had him playing tentatively. At tea, India was 197 for three.
The Indian captain brought up his team's 200 with a cover-drive to the fence off Gillespie, but was dismissed the very next ball, caught behind, playing away from his body.
Laxman lost his off-stump to a Gillespie delivery that kept low. "It had nothing to do with the pitch," said Sehwag, who was at the other end, "the ball had become soft."
Laxman's exit saw Australia breathe easy. It could have got on top, had Gilchrist (and later Hayden at slip) held on to Kaif's edge off Warne.
Sehwag left a short while later, pulling a long-hop from Warne in the air for Clarke to bring off a lovely catch.
But Kaif remains; and that must worry Australia.
SCOREBOARD
| Yuvraj c Gilchrist
| 8 |
| V. Sehwag c Clarke
| 155 |
| I. Pathan c Hayden
| 14 |
| R. Dravid b Kasprowicz | 26 |
| S. Ganguly c Gilchrist
| 9 |
| (40m, 29b, 1x4) | |
| V.V.S. Laxman
| 4 |
| (18m, 19b, 1x4) | |
| Md. Kaif (batting) | 34 |
| (123m, 73b, 5x4) | |
| P. Patel (batting) | 27 |
| (92m, 65b, 4x4) | |
| Extras (b-6, lb-1, w-2,
| 14 |
| — — | |
| Total (for six wkts.) | 291 |
| — — | |
Australia bowling: McGrath 20-3-63-0 (nb-2, w-2), Gillespie 27-7-55-2, Warne 29-3-95-3, Kasprowicz 19-4-45-1 (nb-3), Lehmann 5-0-26-0.
Weather: Partly cloudy with a possibility of light showers. Temperature is likely to touch a maximum of 35 degrees Celsius, and dip to a minimum of 25.
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