Sport

Misbah, the saviour

The Indians would be happy with their series win over Pakistan, but they know that the score line would have read 3-0 but for one Pakistani batsman. It was Misbah-ul-Haq who came between India and victory in both Kolkata and Bangalore, thus saving his side the ignominy of a 3-0 whitewash.

The Indians now go to Australia, where the opposition will be more professional, and the general standard of play more exacting. However, it’s my gut feeling that Anil Kumble’s team will do quite well in Australia. India’s batting is looking very strong, even though it must be remembered that the recent performances have been on slow, low pitches.

The bigger factor is that Australia will be without McGrath and Warne. McGrath has always done well against India, and it would take some time for any bowler to fill the void that his retirement has created in the side.

As far as the Indian bowling is concerned, I was very impressed with Ishant Sharma. He is young and should be nurtured carefully in order to avoid injury. He has a high-arm action, is tall and hits the deck. If he can keep his pace consistently at even 85-86 miles per hour, he will be a handful.

Facing a tough tour so early in his career can only help him learn quicker, and it will be interesting to see how he does in Australia. I was a little disappointed with Pathan because he has not gained as much pace as I had thought he would when I saw him four years ago.

For Pakistan the only plus, though it is a big one, is the emergence of Misbah. It’s a pity that he did not get many opportunities earlier for he has great temperament and technique to complement his talent. It’s a shame that a player of his calibre has been treated so shabbily for so long, and it’s heartening for everybody to see him save the team from a rout.

Other than the Misbah factor, the series asks many questions of Pakistan cricket. The first one is the captaincy issue. It’s clear that captaincy is not affecting Younis Khan’s game, and it is an option that could have been revisited. Malik has the potential to lead, but he has to cement his place first.

By making him captain till the end of 2008, the chairman of the Pakistan Board has once again shown how little he knows about the game. The Pakistan team has not been helped by good selection either. When they knew that Akhtar was not 100 per cent fit, they should have retained Afridi.

The other question is one that has been recurring for quite some time: what does one do with Akhtar? He is still a great fast bowler, but he should have led the attack and done justice to his potential. He has reacted to my comments by saying that I have been harsh on him, but good players are judged more critically than average ones.

I remember getting injured in the second Test of the 1979 tour. We almost won that Test, but because I was injured I could not bowl. I missed the next Test in Bombay, where we lost and that’s why we lost the series.

I was roasted when we got back, in a manner that Akhtar cannot even imagine. It was painful for me, but I resolved to train harder, keep fit and give my body ample rest.

I never missed too many Tests through injury after that. Akhtar too must take this criticism positively and try to remedy the cause behind his frequent fitness problems. He is one of the genuinely fast bowlers in the game, but while

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