India played meaner, tougher

S. Ram Mahesh takes a look at the just concluded Test series between India and Australia and lists out 10 points that made the difference between the winner and the loser.

1. Tails-man Ponting no talisman.

The simplest thing Ricky Ponting could have done to revive his side’s fortunes was to change his call to heads. He didn’t, and Australia lost three straight tosses — not all-determining, but serious concessions in these conditions. It wasn’t a coincidence that the only Test Australia dominated was when Ponting got lucky. Champion teams often take the toss and the conditions out of the equation, so flexible and varied are their cutting edges, but thi s Australian side, considerably less formidable than its predecessors, suffered. The batsmen were denied access to the best batting conditions; the bowlers, forced to go first when the surfaces were less abrasive, were often deprived of reverse swing.

2. Like England, but better? Surely you’re joking Mr. Cooley.

Late last year, after Australia had defeated India in Melbourne, Troy Cooley, the bowling coach, said Brett Lee, Stuart Clark and Mitchell Johnson reminded him of England’s bowling attack during the 2005 Ashes, a quartet he had helped develop into the game’s best. Flintoff, Hoggard, Harmison, and Jones took wickets differently — pace, bounce, cut, angle, swing, and reverse swing, between them they had it all covered. Cooley clearly saw something in his new Australian charges, but by the end of the tour of India, the trio appeared to have regressed. Lee, who had looked the complete fast-bowler earlier this year, endured an almighty struggle, taking eight wickets in 148 overs at over 61. Clark provided Ponting control but little else, and although Johnson managed 13 wickets, he precipitated few collapses. Shane Watson, through reverse swing and perseverance, triggered an Indian slide in Nagpur, but isolated efforts don’t win Tests, let alone series.

3. No Pat and Mike, Zaheer and Ishant swung it Irish nevertheless.

The lack of Australia’s penetration was contrasted by the skill of Zaheer and Ishant. Both bowled cross-seam to scar the soft leather of the SG Test ball, simultaneously treating one side with spit. They were thus able to produce reverse swing as early as the 10th over with the seam still prominent. This combination of reverse swing and movement off the seam heightened the pair’s potency. Zaheer may have had the odd loose moment, but he responded heroically each time, confirming that the responsibility of leading the attack rests on capable shoulders. His figures don’t reflect how well he performed, and his success against Matthew Hayden in the first two Tests was instrumental in the 1-0 lead after the first half of the series. Ishant was hostile and magnificent in conditions that break everyone but the best — nearly every spell suggesting the 19-year-old might end an all-time great.

4. Gambhir, Sehwag, Vijay — it didn’t matter who India opened with.

It’s a pity Gautam Gambhir, in a condemnable moment of utter stupidity, elbowed Shane Watson, and missed the fourth Test, for the left-handed opener deserves to be remembered for a fantastic series with the bat — a half-century, a century and a double-century in successive innings. Gambhir — who has refashioned his game, tightening his technique and disciplining his (batting) mind — often stepped down to Lee, Johnson, Clark and Watson, wreaking havoc with their control and confidence. Sehwag was, well, Sehwag, 90s in the second innings of both the second and fourth Tests contributing to wins. M. Vijay made an assured debut in Nagpur, his stands of 98 and 116 with Sehwag ensuring India didn’t miss Gambhir terribly.

5. The curry cookbook came easy; the runs were another matter.

Matthew Hayden, in the absence of Andrew Symonds and Adam Gilchrist, was Australia’s lone enforcer — the man entrusted with the responsibility of bruising India. But the big left-handed opener had a series as runny as the curry he recommends in his cookbook. (Not very, in case you didn’t read the book). Australia needed this immense performer to attack the opening bowlers and settle against the spinners, but he fell short of expectations. Hayden was constrained to 42 runs in four innings before Delhi. Although he made two half-centuries in the final two Tests, scaring India on the fifth day of the fourth, the 37-year-old, when confronted with his vulnerability, didn’t respond as surely he would have liked.

6. The Indian middle regained health after M&M.

Rahul Dravid struggled, but the other members of the Fab Four ensured the efforts of the openers weren’t wasted. Recovering from the horrors inflicted by Ajantha Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan in Sri Lanka, the Indian middle-order turned in wholesome displays. Sachin Tendulkar might have made just one century in four games, but he batted brilliantly in crucial phases in every Test. V.V.S. Laxman, Tendulkar’s partner in draw-securing efforts in Bangalore and Delhi, again reserved his best for Australia, registering his sixth score of over 100 against the world champion when he made an unbeaten 200 in the first innings of the third Test. Sourav Ganguly had occasion in his farewell series to show spirit and spine, his century in a winning cause in Mohali, one of his best at this level.

7. Mystery spinner — part I.

The deployment of Amit Mishra, forced on India in Mohali after Anil Kumble’s shoulder injury, turned into a mini masterstroke. Australia’s batsmen, who hadn’t seen the 25-year-old leg-spinner before, weren’t familiar with his variations, and in the uncertainty that followed, Mishra took five wickets to earn India a game-turning 216-run first-innings lead. He didn’t enjoy the same success once Australia’s batsmen cottoned on. His control wasn’t always of the highest quality, but his flight, turn, and bounce meant the wicket-taking delivery was never too far away. Moreover, he showed both heart and nerve: he didn’t wilt when punished, and when the Hussey-Hayden partnership needed breaking in the fourth Test, he stepped up with a stunning top-spinner.

8. Mystery spinner — part II.

Jason Krejza’s off-spin had little mystery about it: the strength of his action and fingers imparted crazy revolutions on the ball, bringing turn and bounce. The mystery, in this case, pertained to why he didn’t play one Test earlier. He certainly wasn’t ready to play in Bangalore, he confirmed as much. But Australia would have done well to punt on him in Delhi. Cameron White is an intelligent, admirable man, and he made hard-fought runs at eight, but his leg-spin is no more than club-class. Australia, in not choosing the more attacking option, erred on the side of caution when it had a series to win. Krejza’s wicket-laden debut was one of the few positives — Simon Katich, Michael Hussey, and Shane Watson’s performances, the others — Australia took from the tour.

9. Over and out.

This Australian side seldom bowls 90 overs in six hours. Much like it had at Perth, the slow over-rate came back to bite Ricky Ponting where it hurt most. Ponting’s tactics after tea on day four of the Nagpur Test — a period during which Australia could have swung the contest — have been severely criticised and there’s no need to revisit familiar ground. Ponting has defended his decision to bowl non-specialists at one end, saying he was still attacking, but he would never have been in this position had he chivvied his side into bowling at a reasonable rate. The tardiness was symptomatic of Australia’s ill-health during a debilitating tour.

10. No, you’re more defensive.

Both India and Australia took great pains to point out how incurably defensive the other was — to be fair, neither allegation was without truth. But Australia’s refrain (“There’s only one side trying to win out there”) sounded increasingly hollow as the series wore on, particularly when India played the big moments more authoritatively — traditionally an Australian strength. When there was a match to be won or saved, India raised its game. Australia never recovered after failing to pry open Zaheer and Harbhajan’s resisting guard in Bangalore. India benefited from its climb coinciding with Australia’s decline, but there’s no doubt it played meaner, tougher cricket over the four Tests.

THE SCORES

Fourth Test, Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Jamtha, Nagpur, November 6-10. India won by 172 runs.

India 1st innings: V. Sehwag b Krejza 66; M. Vijay c Haddin b Watson 33; R. Dravid c Katich b Krejza 0; S. R. Tendulkar lbw b Johnson 109; V. V. S. Laxman c Haddin b Krejza 64; S. C. Ganguly c Clarke b Krejza 85; M. S. Dhoni b Krejza 56; Harbhajan Singh (not out) 18; Zaheer Khan b Krejza 1; A. Mishra b Krejza 0; I. Sharma c Katich b Krejza 0; Extras (b 4, lb 2, w 1, nb 2) 9; Total 441.

Fall of wickets: 1-98, 2-99, 3-116, 4-262, 5-303, 6-422, 7-423, 8-437, 9-437.

Australia bowling: Lee 16-2-62-0; Johnson 32-11-84-1; Watson 20-5-42-1; Krejza 43.5-1-215-8; White 10-1-24-0; Katich 3-0-8-0.

Australia 1st innings: M. L. Hayden run out 16; S. M. Katich lbw b Khan 102; R. T. Ponting b Harbhajan Singh 24; M. K. Hussey run out 90; M. J. Clarke c Dhoni b Sharma 8; S. R. Watson b Harbhajan Singh 2; B. J. Haddin c Dravid b Mishra 28; C. L. White c Sehwag b Harbhajan Singh 46; J. J. Krejza lbw b Sharma 5; M. G. Johnson c Khan b Mishra 5; B. Lee (not out) 1; Extras (b 12, lb 3, w 2, nb 6, pen 5) 28; Total 355.

Fall of wickets: 1-32, 2-74, 3-229, 4-255, 5-265, 6-266, 7-318, 8-333, 9-352.

India bowling: Zaheer 28-8-68-1; Harbhajan Singh 37-7-94-3; Ishant Sharma 26-8-64-2; Mishra 23.4-5-58-2; Sehwag 18-2-38-0; Tendulkar 2-0-13-0.

India 2nd innings: V. Sehwag c Haddin b Lee 92; M. Vijay lbw b Watson 41; R. Dravid c Haddin b Watson 3; S. R. Tendulkar (run out) 12; V. V. S. Laxman b Krejza 4; S. C. Ganguly c & b Krejza 0; M. S. Dhoni c Hussey b Krejza 55; Harbhajan Singh b Watson 52; Z. Khan c Haddin b Krejza 6; A. Mishra b Watson 7; I. Sharma (not out) 1; Extras (b 6, lb 3, w 6, nb 2, pen 5) 22; Total 295.

Fall of wickets: 1-116, 2-132, 3-142, 4-163, 5-163, 6-166, 7-274, 8-286, 9-288.

Australia bowling: Johnson 14-4-22-0; Lee 10-3-27-1; Krejza 31-3-143-4; Watson 15.4-2-42-4; White 2-0-15-0; Hussey 4-2-3-0; Clarke 6-1-29-0.

Australia 2nd innings: M. L. Hayden lbw b Harbhajan Singh 77; S. M. Katich c Dhoni b Sharma 16; R. T. Ponting run out (Mishra) 8; M. J. Clarke c Dhoni b Sharma 22; M. K. Hussey c Dravid b Mishra 19; S. R. Watson c Dhoni b Harbhajan Singh 9; B. J. Haddin c Tendulkar b Mishra 4; C. L. White not out 26; J. J. Krejza st Dhoni b Mishra 4; B. Lee c Vijay b Harbhajan Singh 0; M. G. Johnson lbw b Harbhajan Singh 11; Extras (b 6, lb 1, w 4, nb 2) 13; Total 209.

Fall of wickets: 1-29, 2-37, 3-82, 4-150, 5-154, 6-161, 7-178, 8-190, 9-191.

India bowling: Zaheer 8-0-57-0; Ishant Sharma 9-0-31-2; Harbhajan Singh 18.2-2-64-4; Sehwag 4-0-23-0; Mishra 11-2-27-3.