Sport

Tendulkar, Yuvraj guide India to a superb win

— Photo: K.R. Deepak

Purity of technique: Sachin Tendulkar’s was an innings of innovation and enterprise — after a period of early uncertainty — marked by his exceptional ability to adapt to a pitch of variable bounce.

Chennai: Sachin Tendulkar displayed a heart larger than his frame. For most part, his batsmanship defined technical perfection. He blocked, created and inspired.

Late in the afternoon, Tendulkar leapt for joy with a clenched fist after sweeping off-spinner Graeme Swann past the ropes. His 41st Test century had orchestrated a famous Indian victory — the host made history with the highest successful run chase in the sub-continent.

Tendulkar was soaked in sweat but laughed and celebrated. Everyone — non-striker Yuvraj Singh, the English and the Indian cricketers, the crowd — applauded. India and Tendulkar had displayed the resilience of a champion.

In the cauldron, Tendulkar donned the cloak of a match-winner. This was an innings (103 not out, 196b, 9x4) of a team-man. Tendulkar overcame a mountain of runs, the pressures, a scarred fifth-day pitch and the heat.

Eventually, the target of 387 was reached with plenty to spare — six wickets and a minimum of 20.3 overs remained. For his exceptional innings of 83 in the second innings which opened India’s path, Sehwag was adjudged man of the match. The Test marked M.S. Dhoni’s fourth successive Test win as captain.

A significant knock

The fearless Yuvraj played a significant Test innings too. England was in with a sniff when a well-directed off-spinner from Swann had a smooth-stroking V.V.S. Laxman picked up at short-leg soon after lunch.

Yuvraj (85 not out, 131b, 8x4, 1x6) then passed a test of character. He was probed by the spin duo of Swann and Monty Panesar in the beginning.

Spin has troubled him in the past. It was a different story this time. The left-hander employed the sweep, pulled Panesar into the mid-wicket stands and stroked confidently off the front-foot suggesting that he was, finally, reading the spinners from the hand. Yuvraj grew in confidence, even dancing down to paceman James Anderson and smashing him to the wide long-on fence.

There was a moment of concern when he missed a sweep off Swann — he survived a vociferous appeal — but opened out with expansive shots. The presence of his idol at the other end lifted Yuvraj.

The unbeaten 163-run partnership for the fifth wicket settled the issue. When Pietersen opted for the second new ball, it was the last fling of the dice by the England captain.

The Indian innings roared past the finish line.

Tendulkar was the hub. His exceptional ability to adapt to a pitch of variable bounce shed light on his purity of technique. After a period of early uncertainty — he was beaten by Andrew Flintoff’s movement and put down at silly point by Alastair Cook off Swann — Tendulkar found his rhythm.

The maestro’s footwork was organised and decisive; the shuffle was more of a ruse to off-set the bowler. He played the ball late after picking the length early. He handled bounce with soft hands and eased into the harder drives.

His was an innings of high-concentration levels, intensity and patience. When Panesar pitched outside his leg-stump from over-the-wicket, Tendulkar countered the ploy by employing the paddle sweep.

Tendulkar, cleverly, opened up his stance. In a stirring moment, he pulled Panesar to the fence. This was also an innings of innovation and enterprise.

The nature of the pitch on day five surprised many. Instead of breaking up, the surface slowed down. Tactically, Pietersen and England came up short. Left-arm spinner Panesar was asked to bowl a negative line at Tendulkar. In other words, England was waiting for things to unfold; the side was not creating chances with an aggressive outlook.

Pietersen’s field placements did not quite help England’s cause either. The field was set too deep — singles were given away too easily on both sides of the wicket.

Pounded mentally by Sehwag’s onslaught on Sunday, England appeared to have lost belief. Flintoff was restrictive and removed Rahul Dravid with a well-pitched up delivery that left the batsman. However, he could not quite get the ball to reverse.

Anderson sent back the fleet-footed and fluent Gambhir (66, 139b, 7x4) when he angled one across him. But his bowling lacked precision.

Harmison was introduced rather late in the day; his confident leg-before shout against Tendulkar was turned down. Swann spun the ball from the rough but lacked consistency. England just did not create the pressure from either end.

England also faced a road-block in Tendulkar, who crossed 1,000 Test runs for the calendar year. His hunger undiminished, Tendulkar continues to conquer.

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