Sport

Yuvraj, Ganguly whip up magic

— Photo: K.R. Deepak

SWASHBUCKLING KNOCK: Yuvraj Singh sent the Pakistan bowlers on a leather hunt as he notched up his third Test century in Bangalore on Saturday.

Bangalore: The sun shone on Saturday and the stroke-play was no less resplendent. The dark clouds, almost magically, disappeared when play commenced. Then, Yuvraj Singh and Sourav Ganguly whipped up some left-handed magic with the willow.

It was mayhem in the middle. They stroked, spoke, hugged and acknowledged the rousing cheers.

The host recovered from 61 for four to 365 for five — the most Test runs by a team on the first day in India — with a blaze of strokes.

The game changed shades rather dramatically on the first day of the third IndianOil Test at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The crowd built up as the game progressed, so did the tempo of the Indian run-getting.

Yuvraj was a natural riding on his skill. Ganguly was silken and skilful. Gradually the attacking fields gave way to defensive settings as Pakistan was pounded psychologically.

Yuvraj (169, 203b, 28x4, 1x6) blew away the attack with power and precision. The smooth-stroking Ganguly (125 batting, 214b, 20x4) allowed Yuvraj to blossom without being defensive.

Runs came thick and fast and records tumbled. The partnership of 300 in 395 balls is the highest association between two left-handers for India in Tests. This is also India’s best fifth-wicket stand against Pakistan.

Yuvraj was high on octane and low on sympathy for the bowlers; all his three Test hundreds have come against Pakistan. The regal Ganguly, with centuries in back-to-back Tests, notched up his 15th Test hundred.

Perhaps, the duo was helped by the fact that Pakistan pace spearhead Shoaib Akhtar left the field with a muscle spasm after bowling just two overs in the post-lunch session; the MRI scan has not revealed any serious damage to his back.

Akhtar’s fitness has become a major cause of concern for Pakistan. Younis Khan was hard-pressed to manage his attack with only three regular bowlers.

These bowlers discovered how dangerous a left-handed combination can be. Yasser Arafat’s away going deliveries to the right-handers were now whipped by the southpaws. When Mohammad Sami attempted to angle the ball across, he only succeeded in providing width to the batsmen.

Danish Kaneria was played with the tide by the duo. The leg-spinner should have used his googly and the straighter one more from round the wicket.

Remarkably for someone playing his first match of the series, Yuvraj discovered his touch in a jiffy.

He batted like a dream, picking the length early and thumping the pacemen. His footwork was admirable, whether leaning into his drives, dancing down to Kaneria, or rocking back for those rousing hits.

So good was his timing that even pushes in the V travelled to the boundary.

There was a flow to Ganguly’s off-side play that was reminiscent of his early days. Middling the ball and finding the gaps are his natural attributes.

He is enjoying his batting and it shows. He is also using the crease well.

Earlier, Kumble’s decision to bat could have been influenced by a surprisingly clear sky. India was without Sachin Tendulkar and M.S. Dhoni and Pakistan made inroads.

Gautam Gambhir — opening since Dinesh Karthik has to keep wickets — wasted an opportunity playing away from the body.

The in-form Wasim Jaffer was leg-before to a delivery that came back. Rahul Dravid chased a wide one and V.V.S. Laxman was done in by a ball that kept low. Three of the four wickets were picked up by the lively Arafat off a skiddish pace.

After some initial assistance to the pacemen, the pitch eased out. Rather the surface was made to look easy by Yuvraj and Ganguly.

Sami secured his second wicket with the second new ball when Yuvraj top-edged a high flick.

But then, the strike might have come too late for a team facing a must-win situation.

Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Gambhir), 2-44 (Dravid), 3-51 (Jaffer), 4-61 (Laxman), 5-361 (Yuvraj).

Pakistan bowling: Akhtar 10-3-23-0, Sami 23-4-103-2, Arafat 22-2-98-3, Kaneria 23-5-75-0, Younis 2-0-14-0, Butt 5-1-10-0, Hameed 5-0-26-0.

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