Side lines

The long, hard grind.

NADEEM A. KHAN

Tuesday, October 29.
Although its men have down played their predicament,there is little doubt that in this, the season of miracles, India is frantically looking for one. The tone may have been airy and the facade may have been brave, but as they spoke of stuffing Australia, the die-hard supporter knew better. Nobody is bringing out the party hats and the streamers just yet.

For good reason.

A few hours earlier, after a chilling, no-nonsense display, a lively, and virtually second string South African outfit brushed well-stacked India aside like flies. Third loss? Fourth? Surely, even Tendulkar's lost track.

Blind and speechless after the ordeal, the India Captain nearly tripped over the lower lip as he walked off to meet the press. And though the scribes have shown unusual reserve in their appraisals, he still feared the worst and let Madan Lal handle most of the proceedings. The coach was shrewd in his assessment that they bowled, fielded, and batted badly. Thus, the Vegetables lost by five wickets.

Welcome back, Mr. Sidhu

There was much excitement over the resurfacing of Navjoth Singh Sidhu, cast in the role of India's savior even before he had officially logged in. So desperate was this side for a hard-core opener, it escaped everyone's attention that poor batting was the reason Sidhu was dropped three months ago. So desperate was this team for a miracle that it didn't matter if his game, after the 50 day hiatus, was defunct.

The Wicket

Various things had been said about the Municipal Ground track, and since none were encouraging, the toss became an issue. The local opinion, which is probably the most reliable, was that it had a tendency to benefit all spinners, except Indian, and turn from ball one, then break into half sometime during lunch, crumble at tea, and so on. After practice, Hansie pondered over the odd-looking wicket with Woolmer and left with a bemused expression. "It's a funny looking thing, all right," he conceded. "Honestly, we don't know how it'll play."

Sachin drew more concrete inferences. "I hope to win the toss," he said soberly. Which meant that unless he did, his team was sunk. As pledged, the toss was won and the spectators cheered upon hearing the good news. A section, wisely, was unmoved, knowing that after the toss is when India's adversities usually start.

India Innings

Somewhere inside Sidhu is a man who aspires to run fast, not like a crab. He also hopes to master the art of the quick single. If he has no such aspirations, then his dismissal today should serve as an impetus. After slaving over two runs, he pushed Fanie DeVilliers, genially, to Hansie Cronje at mid-off and embarked on a pilgrimage that, judging from the incoherent manner in which he threw the arms and legs about, seemed to hold few promises--all power and no momentum, if you know what I mean. Cronje could have run him out with the ball in hand, but chose to be lazy and simply threw down the stumps. India lost its pre-match ace with only 7 on the board.

Srinath's promotion to #3 was an inspired move by the brass. When he met Tendulkar, the skipper was ticking away like a bomb, a little dissatisfied with the turn of events. After top edging Klussner and waving heartily to Cullinan who let him off, the master bat simmered to play some absorbing cricket. He drove and cut with elan, for five boundaries, until Donald speared him on the front boot with a yorker. The ball seemed capable of missing leg stump. I may be wrong but certainly no more wrong than either Allan or Rao who were two of soul but one of mind. Staring at the umpire like a deer at headlights, did not help Sachin's cause and his fall introduced India to thin ice.

What should have been, under the circumstances, a turbulent third wicket partnership was not, due to Srinath's innovative stroking. After Bangalore, he has moved a step closer towards his cherished title of all-rounder. His 53 out of an alliance of 57 was a valuable contribution and deserved a more graceful if not memorable finish. Bowled through the gate by Symcox is neither the stuff legends are made of nor is it something to draw from for future use.

Dravid's been a different bloke ever since Woolmer convinced him he's got blueprints for his next dismissal. He's lost that gay abandon which was so refreshing when he first drifted into the side and has spent the last few outings examining each delivery, brow furrowed with mistrust, and expecting each to take his wicket. Unable to bear the suspense, he ran himself out just when he seemed to have relaxed.

Then Rao was at it again. Unquestionably India's most mediocre umpire, he presumably nodded off and when the senses returned realized his opinion was been sought. He could have gone either way, but the manner in which Azharuddin's face contorted in a plea, made it easier for the man. Boje got his first real wicket and India lost its fifth. Three rapid wickets for seventeen confused runs had the innings skidding to a sickening halt.

From here, it was a seminar of the usual bankrupt, disoriented batters chipping in with a little of this and throwing in a scrap of that and with Srinath already expended, the normally deep tail was low on wag. The crumbs, however, were surprisingly rich and although 185 was a far cry from the 250 once promised, it was an incentive to come back and bowl.

South Africa Innings

When Prasad's third ball of his first spell, an affectionate long-hop, cannoned off Kirsten's bat and into the backward point boundary board, many in the crowd intuitively reached for the car keys. Some groped for the tomatoes. A few minutes later, Herchell Gibbs smashed Srinath through cover and demonstrated his wasn't a fixed approach by rifling the next through extra-cover. It was, evidently, not going to be touch and go and the stands cleared in clumps. The Indians were relieved to see the vegetable wielders depart. The last thing they wanted was imperious support breathing down the neck as the noose was being tightened.

If nothing, the game helped me understand the difference between Azharuddin's captaincy and that of the present incumbent. Mohammed's policy, when confronted with the task of defending a low score--and there were plenty of those during his administration, was to align a few catchers close to the strip and drag Kumble and the spinner for the day, into the situation as early as possible. India frequently won tournaments during those two dreamy years: The Wills World Series, two years ago, for example, when Kumble opened in some of the matches. In the same season, the Windies were beaten 4-1. A few months hence, the Asia Cup was lifted in Sharjah. More germanely, good, early spin is what laid the South Africans to rest in the infamous Hero Cup semi-final (1993). Since the World Cup, more games have been played off-shore where Indian spinners automatically become invalids and the habit has been lost.

Tendulkar prefers to keep the portals wide open, hoping to throw off the enemy with a deluge of runs. The approach is not without its benefits, although it is always risky to assume the cold-blooded Springboks will come back and hand you the game if given 75 runs in the first fifteen overs. They are more apt to spit, kick, shove, snatch the game and run. That they didn't today, initially, was due to the perseverance of Prasad, who was referred to, recently, by Geoff Boycott, as a spinner with a really nice faster one. BKV kept Gibbs on a steady diet of off-spin until the opener drilled one into Tendulkar's gut at mid-on. Then Cullinan, a wastrel, swung Joshi into Kumble and Kirsten directed one into point.

If this Indian line-up had more gall and ambition, three down for 88 would have been something to hang hope on. Sachin's timidity and a hybrid pace/spin attack aided and abetted a fourth wicket stand of 63 between Rhodes and Cronje. The pair gleefully looped shots through slips, short leg, point--areas thinly occupied when India have possession of the ball. Despite losing two more men unnecessarily, South Africa jogged home. Once again, the Indians had flicked the lights out on themselves.

If at first you don't succeed....

The masochist in Tendulkar has still not shelved ideas about squirting into the finals. He has also admitted that it will be "a long, hard grind". The management has had two very productive days and is already rumored to have isolated the weak areas and stumbled upon "a perfect batting order"; a nip here and a tuck there--improvements are expected to be "swift and obvious". Not bad. But, have they discovered a cure for buckling knees?

A new strategy seemingly involves bringing back players from the dead: Manoj Prabhakar has been popping up in some headlines, perhaps he will be given a chance. Robin Singh, wasted by the West Indies a few years ago, is now suddenly good. With these two to go with the already resuscitated Sidhu, clearly, the administration believes the future lies in the past.

But, why stop there? How about Gavaskar? Or Srikanth? Vengsarkar? Instant steel in the top and middle order, what, what?

Even if this team doesn't win a game for the rest of the tournament, there is always the consolation that what doesn't kill it will make it stronger.

Many disgusted fans would rather see it get killed.