India return triumphant from New Zealand

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The Indian cricketers, having emerged triumphant in a Test series in New Zealand for the first time after 41 seasons, were accorded warm welcome upon their return home on April 9.

They returned home in batches in different cities after having done a fabulous job in New Zealand. The victorious skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Man-of-the-Series Gautam Gambhir, opener Virender Sehwag, fast bowler Ishant Sharma and leg-spinner Amit Mishra landed in capital New Delhi while the legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar alongwith spearhead Zaheer Khan, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, medium-pacer Munaf Patel and young Dhawal Kulkarni disembarked in Mumbai.

The batting stalwarts Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman flew into directly to their respective cities, Bangalore and Hyderabad.

The Indian cricket fans had the reasons to feel proud of their team who had overcome all the obstacles to record their first Test series win in New Zealand after Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi's team had downed them on their own soil in 1967-68.

The ride has been rough and bumpy for the Indian sides over the years having had to endure the cruelties of the nature besides taking care of their form. What happened in the third and final Test at the Basin Reserve in Wellington was so typical of their fate. It has remained so near yet so far story for them on a number of occasions.

Their win in the first Test at the Eden Park, Auckland, was their maiden Test triumph on the New Zealand soil for 33 years or so. They should have won handsomely the third Test as well to take the series 2-0. But the manner in which they were robbed of the win in Wellington suggested they might need decades if not centuries to accomplish it.

The Indians have won so few matches, despite having dominated decisively so many times, that they value their every win much more than any other team despite being in possession of the strongest outfit in the business.

That could be one reason why the Indians sometimes play cricket that looks unusual if not mind-boggling. They know how difficult it’s for them to complete a win. Therefore they adopt tactics that are different to other teams.

Sometimes you have to pardon them for not delivering because of their consistent hard luck. They should have aimed for a whitewash over the New Zealanders but their own performance was terrible in the second Test at the McLean Park, Napier, where they had to play out time save the game.

One is not sure how Dhoni has been labeled as a lucky captain. Yes he may be less unluckier than his predecessors but to expect the luck to go with him is something beyond my comprehension. That’s why he may not be able to have the success rate as high as that of Ricky Ponting or Clive Lloyd despite having the capacity of doing better.

Ponting and Lloyd didn’t have to fight the nature. They got the value for their performance. Not Dhoni. If he had just normal luck, his side would have won the Wellington Test.

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Nature ditches India yet again

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

India, seeking their 100th Test win, were ditched by the nature once more. The state of the match at the Basin Reserve, Wellington, was such that no force on earth could have denied the Indians a massive victory. 

But as it had happened on numerous occasions in the past the outside factors came into play to deprive India another thoroughly deserved win. They had been so unlucky in pressing home the advantage so many times and history repeated itself once more.

New Zealand were in dire straits throughout the third and final Test and they needed a miracle to save the game. The nature came to their rescue just when they were about to sink in the afternoon session on the fifth and final day.

The Indians had done reasonably well in the morning to pick up three wickets and they were closer to victory when they got another one soon after the luncheon break. The match could have finished in the same over, had Simon Taufel, the greatest umpire of the world, ruled Daniel Vettori not out when a ball from Harbhajan Singh, having pitched in line, was going to crash into the middle-stump. 

Had Taufel made the correct decision, Vettori’s departure would have brought to the middle last man Chris Martin, who didn’t possess the capacity to come to terms with the pressure or the deadly spin bowling. 

Martin would have walked to the crease in any case, if Ishant Sharma, standing at square-leg, not dropped a sitter in the very next over. Iain O’Brien had turned a full toss from Sachin Tendulkar straight into the hands of Sharma who was probably not anticipating a catch.

Vettori and O’Brien played or rather somehow survived the next few overs and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni had to summon Zaheer Khan for finishing off the tail with the second new ball. 

The left-arm fast bowler delivered a couple of looseners with the old ball before collecting the shining cherry from umpire Darryl Harper. Before Zaheer could bowl the second delivery with the new ball the drop of rains caught the attention of the umpires and they ordered the groundstaff to rush with the covers.

With the strong wind blowing, it was generally being believed that it was just a passing shower and the game will resume shortly. There was no forecast for rain until the evening and it was appearing a matter of time for the players to return.

Anyone who is a student of sports history or well versed with the fate of the matches involving India, would have known that the match was unlikely to get underway. The umpires inspected the pitch a few times because the rains did stop for once in a while. But the game could not resume. It had something to do with destiny as India are one team who have been the unluckiest one in finishing off things.

At times it makes one wonder how have India managed to win 99 Test matches because they had to overcome so many other factors besides downing their opponents. They have to create much more opportunities for registering a win than any other team.

With the rains robbing India of a certain victory in the third Test, they had to settle with a 1-0 win the series which was not a true reflection of their dominance. They have taken 41 years to win a Test series in New Zealand. One can understand why after the events in Wellington. 

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India’s shameful performance in Napier Test

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

It’s very difficult to comment on any sporting contest that’s under the cloud of the outside factors. India, not for the first time, fared so miserably to keep their underdogs opponents, New Zealand, interested until the end.

The Napier Test of the 2008-09 series turned out to be another occasion where the logic was defied. An element of uncertainty had come into the game even before the first ball was bowled. Hardly did anyone know until the toss that the Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was unfit for the game.

Dhoni’s pullout from the game at the eleventh hour was mysterious. The mystery grew into suspicion when acting captain Virender Sehwag allowed New Zealand to post a total in the excess of 600 after having rattled their top-order in the first hour.

It was simply amazing. The most lethal new-ball attack of the world was blunted by a few young cavaliers who treated them disdainfully. One of the best off-spinners of the game looked like a pedestrian while the support bowlers appeared novices.

The team that was the firm favourite to close the series at the McLean Park, after having pocketed the previous Test so emphatically, was in shambles all of a sudden. The outfit that should have actually dictated terms was at the receiving end instead.

By letting New Zealand post a gigantic total, India had probably ensured that they should not be chasing another win in this game. With the pitch as flat as you can expect and the outfield lightening quick and the boundaries far too short, India had the guns to surpass the total of 619 if they so desired.

They collapsed quite dramatically in their first innings to make absolutely sure that a victory for them went out of the equation. There were only results possible once Daniel Vettori had enforced follow-on. The Indians could have either lost the game or at best they could have gone for a draw.

There was nothing in the pitch for the bowlers and the Indians themselves proved it by playing out 180 overs in their second innings losing only four wickets in the process, two of them to horribly wrong umpiring decisions. Rahul David was given out caught when the ball had only touched his pads while Gautam Gambhir was declared leg before on a ball going well down the leg side.

The Indians occupied the crease for more than two days in their second outing against a New Zealand attack that was enthusiastic and disciplined without ever looking threatening.

Gambir and VVS Laxman scored centuries in contrasting styles while there were half centuries for Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh. The only man, having failed to deliver in both innings, was none other than Sehwag.

Why the Indians didn’t show application in their first innings in ideal batting conditions is a million-dollar question? Was it necessary to keep the home side excited and interested until the final session of the game?

Isn’t it a shame that the most powerful batting line-up of the world was dominated by an ordinary bowling attack for the best part of three days? The world-beaters are not expected to play like this. That was quite uncharacteristic of a team that is rated as the most balanced as well as the strongest of all outfits in the business.

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India’s first Test victory in New Zealand after 33 years

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The Indian cricketers played to their potential in the first Test of the ongoing series in New Zealand and finally they were able to accomplish something their predecessors had somehow failed to do.

Yes it has taken India 33 more than years to defeat New Zealand in a Test match on their soil. It’s a generation gap. I was 12 years old, studying in Class VIII at Cadet College Petaro, when India had overpowered New Zealand by eight wickets in the first Test at the Eden Park, Auckland, in January 1976.

Now my eldest daughter, Javeria, having celebrated her 12th birthday just a couple of months ago, is preparing to move to Class VIII, when India has again beaten New Zealand in the first Test at the Seddon Park, Hamilton, in March 2009.

It’s not that India didn’t visit New Zealand often in the 33-year period. There were regular tours after the 1975-76 series but for some reason or the other India could not put their acts together to win a Test match there for over three decades.

Acting skipper Sunil Gavaskar and debutant left-hander Surinder Amarnath were India’s batting heroes in the Auckland Test of the 1975-76 in which their famed spin trio of Eripalli Prasanna, Bhagwat Chadrasekhar and Srinavas Ventakraghawan had bowled superbly to engineer the famous win.

They could not have even imagined that it would remain their only Test win in New Zealand for 33 as many as years. How could have they known that India would be returning empty handed from New Zealand even while having far too stronger outfits.

India toured New Zealand again in 1980-81 and looked set to start the Test series on a winning note when they routed the hosts for 100 in their second innings. With two days play to go all they needed was to get 253 on a pretty nice surface of the Basin Reserve in Wellington.

Having given a very impressive account of themselves in earlier series in Australia, the Indians, captained by Sunil Gavaskar, appeared the firm favourites to win the Wellington Test while chasing the modest target. But they made a heavy weather of it and crashed to a disappointing 190 all out to lose the game by 62 runs instead. With the home umpires refusing to raise their fingers, India could not square the series.

India was humbled again in the first Test on their next tour of New Zealand in 1989-90 under newly installed skipper Mohammad Azharduddin. All their efforts of leveling the series were foiled once again.

India failed to drive home the advantage in the only Test during their tour in 1993-94 while their first Test of the 1998-99 tour was abandoned without a ball being bowled. They were narrowly beaten in the second Test and the third and final game was drawn.

India’s tour to New Zealand in 2002-03 was so horrible from their point of view that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) didn’t risk send their team again in 2006-07 on the eve of another World Cup. The Indians had their moments in both the Test matches but they couldn’t force the result in their favour on either them and for the first India they lost more one Test in a series in New Zealand.

Here is the opportunity to set the record straight. After having won the first Test so comprehensively, India should be aiming to close the series in the very next game. Although the history is not on their Indian side, the present lot has the depth and the character to rewrite it.

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Tendulkar produces yet another classic knock

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Sachin Tendulkar’s century number 42 in Test cricket on March 20 was yet another masterly knock from the Grand Master. Even though it was scored against an opposition not having big guns the conditions were quite difficult for batting and it was his sheer class that saw him dominate the bowling for the better part of his stay at the crease.

Tendulkar was unconquered on 70 when the stumps were drawn on the second evening, a few overs before the scheduled close of play due to the fading light, in the first Test against New Zealand at the Seddon Park in Hamilton.

Although the number of spectators at the ground was not all that high from the sub-continent standards when the play started on the third morning it’s believed that the majority of the one billion people back home in India are believed to have set an early morning alarm in anticipation of another Tendulkar hundred.

The occasion was worth compromising the sound sleep. The manner in which Tendulkar resumed his innings gave an indication that he was aware of the fact that his every movement was being followed at home.

What a cracking start he had to the day. The backfoot punches were a treat to watch as were the classic cover drives. He penetrated the field without taking risk and the score kept ticking over at a brisk pace.

He had moved from 70 to 99 in no time but there was a pause when he was just a single away from the landmark. In fact he was rather unlucky not to have completed his hundred with the cover drive that fetched him three runs instead of a boundary as Daniel Vettori made a spectacular save.

There were anxious moments with a few maiden overs on a trot. Tendulkar’s problems were compounded by the lack of support from the other end as skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was struggling to rotate the strike.

Since he has been dismissed so many times in the 90s during the past few years, it always is a relief whenever he reaches the magical three-figure mark. He was mighty pleased when he got the single to his 42nd hundred in Test matches.

He needed only 168 balls to reach his century as he had remained positive from the moment he set his feet in the ground a day earlier. He was in complete control of the situation and he was not in any mood to give it away.

His stroke-play continued even after he had brought up his hundred as he kept punishing the loose balls at will. He was equal to the task while defending the good balls, hardly giving the bowlers any chance.

He completed his 150 in the afternoon session but he didn’t last long after that. Iain O’ Brien, looking the most threatening of the New Zealand bowlers, ended the majestic innings by having the master batsman caught in the slips by Ross Taylor for 160.

Tendulkar occupied the crease for exactly 400 minutes on a pitch that always kept the bowlers interested. The overcast conditions encouraged the seam bowlers but he dominated them in a fashion only he could have done.

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Time difference could limit viewership of New Zealand-India Test series

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The time difference between New Zealand and India is such that the matches starting at the standard local time of 11 am in New Zealand means a 3.30 am start in India. 

The timings of the Twenty20 Internationals suited the Indian viewers and even the One-day Internationals were day-night affairs that allowed the cricket followers in India to watch them after having completed sound sleep overnight.

The situation is different for the Test series and the broadcasters, more than anyone else, are concerned about it. If the broadcasters had a say in these matters, they could have prompted day-night sessions of the Test matches too. 

Test cricket has its traditions and they are being followed even today. May be in future even the Test matches might start late in the afternoon and include a dinner break instead of the conventional lunch interval.

With nearly every major international venue having the facility of floodlights the possibilities of day-night Test matches in future could not be ruled out.

But for the time being there is an issue and the New Zealand board has reportedly declined an Indian broadcaster's request to start the Test in Hamilton at noon instead of the traditional 11 am.

According to the reports the Sony Entertainment Television, with the blessings of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), had approached the New Zealand Cricket with the request to alter the playing hours in order to maximise its viewership in India. 

The New Zealand Cricket had accommodated the request of the same broadcasters earlier this summer during the two-Test series against the West Indies that had started at the unusual time of midday.

But that was the peak of the summer and the days were longer in that part of the world. Now the natural light could fade in the closing session if the Test matches against India also start at midday.

The light has held well until 7 pm over the past couple of days in Hamilton but the weather forecast during the first couple of days indicated a cloud cover that could be one factor the New Zealand cricket authorities were not willing to take a chance.

The Seddon Park in Hamilton and the McLean Park in Napier, where the first and second Tests are to be held, are equipped with floodlights but there is no such facility available at the venue of the third and final Test to be held at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.

The timings for the second and third Tests have not been announced yet but it’s going to be quite a tricky decision. If they are unwilling to incorporate changes in the playing hours of the first Test, it’s very unlikely that they would be in a position to do it later with the days becoming shorter.

It’s understandably a very difficult situation. Besides providing financial benefit to the broadcasters, the cricket lovers in the sub-continent will have the chance of watching more action live if the Test matches started an hour later than originally scheduled.

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India hold advantage over New Zealand going into Test series

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

After having come up with below-par performance in the preceding series of Twenty20 Internationals and One-day Internationals, will India continue obliging the New Zealanders in the Tests as well starting from March 18?

The Indians were the overwhelming favorites to dominate all the three versions of the game but their inability or to some extent unwillingness to complete the rout has kept their supporters guessing.

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni appeared a bit apologetic to the fans having come from all parts of Auckland to the Eden Park to watch their icons in motion. But what they got in return was a shameful performance from the bunch of cricketers who have loads of talent and who are better than the best.

Looking at the two outfits for the Test series, there is hardly any comparison. While the Indians are on a high having performed exceptionally well, despite the odd below-par showing, of late the hosts have generally struggled.

Let me start with the batting department. Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir are considered to be the best opening pair in all forms of the game. Both of them like to attack but they are adequately skilled to make big hundreds.

The Indian middle-order is second to none in terms of experience and class. In Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Yuvraj Singh they have the depth and character. Add skipper Dhoni to this list and you have a group of seven batsmen all of whom can win the match on their own.

The New Zealanders have just too many newcomers in their folds who must be having the talents but lack in experience. Test cricket is one area where the bits and pieces cricketers are often exposed. It remains to be seen if the hosts do have some potentially fine Test batsmen.

Turning towards the area of bowling, for the first time in many years, India are in a possession of a new-ball attack that has been acclaimed as the best in the business. In Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan they have most potent fast bowlers who have been successful even on the flattest of tracks.

India may not have a world-class first change bowler in the present squad, as the selectors didn’t deem it to proper to pick Sreesanth or R P Singh for this particular tour, but they are well served in the spin department in the presence of Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra.

New Zealand can only match the tourists in the spin department because their skipper Daniel Vettori, a champion left-arm spinner, has had success against all teams particularly India.

It will be interesting to find out what kind of pitches would be there for the three-Test series. The New Zealanders may opt for green tops to unsettle India’s formidable batting line-up but they could land themselves land in greater trouble because the visitors are much more resourceful in the pace bowling department than before.

India would be the favorites on all kind of surfaces going into the Test series against this New Zealand side. That the Indians would like to dictate terms for considerable time or will they go about the business as softly as they did in both the T20Is and the fifth and final ODI remains to be seen.

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India’s typical self destruction at Auckland lifts New Zealand

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

India did exactly what was being feared. They surrendered in the fifth and final One-day International at the Eden Park, Auckland, almost in the same fashion as their predecessors used to do when least expected to be at the receiving end.

New Zealand, besides other less fancied oppositions, have been the beneficiaries whenever the Indians have opted to be in this mode and they benefited once more when Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men decided to emulate their predecessors.

India’s shocking display, after having dominated the earlier four ODIs, must have broken the hearts of the large number of their supporters who had gathered at the Eden Park in anticipation of another cracking performance from them.

The Eden Park in Auckland was presenting the look of Little India as there were more Indian supporters at the ground than the local ones. They had braved the weather for quite sometime and they were delighted when the match finally got underway.

But their happiness didn’t last long. Virender Sehwag treated them with a few of his trademark shots but all others, with the sole exception of Rohit Sharma, failed to deliver against a bowling attack that was short of confidence after the hammering it was subjected to in the earlier games.

The Indians have had the habit of obliging the non-entities and this time Jesse Ryder of all people was allowed to become the bowling hero for New Zealand. It must have stunned the followers of the game generally but there was hardly any element of surprise for those who have been familiar with the Indian cricket.

There was nothing in the pitch to cause an alarm for the champion Indian batsmen. The ball was doing a bit but that is quite usual on the New Zealand pitches. The form in which the Indian batsmen were in, all they needed was to get their eyes in and resume business.

 
It has been a common sight in Indian cricket over the years. They have passed the impression of throwing away matches against weaker oppositions. They have done it once more.

Even Dhoni’s men who are being compared with the great West Indian team of the 1980s for possessing enormous depth in every department of the game have failed to immunize themselves from this disease. They have been doing it less frequently than what one had seen in the past but they need to do away with this practice if they have to accomplish the goal of becoming the number one team in the world.

The movers and shakers of the Indian cricket, it seems, don’t feel hurt or concerned by the shocking results. By the look of things they don’t mind their team losing a few games once in a while.

What they fail to take into the account is the fact that the Indian cricket team has the biggest fan following in the world who feel down and shaken by the heartbreaking performance of their stars.

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Sehwag powers India to maiden ODI series victory in New Zealand

100th Article on this Blog

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

India managed to overcome the inconsistent weather and the unpredictable hosts at the Seddon Park in Hamilton to record their maiden win in a series of One-day Internationals in New Zealand.

As on so many occasions in the past, India had to keep an eye on the external factors besides controlling the game in the field. They had been defeated by the weather in the second game after having dictated terms in whatever cricket that could be played.

Well there’s no doubt in one’s mind about this Indian side being far too superior to the hosts, who continue making life more miserable for themselves by sticking to their policy of fielding uncapped players.

The current Indian outfit hardly has any faults therefore it’s extremely unlikely to be floored and that too by an inexperienced and unsettled combination like the New Zealanders have at the moment.

The Indians, after having been scared for a few moments in the previous ODI where they just lost the focus for no rhyme or reason while defending a mammoth total, didn’t commit that many mistakes and their victory march was only threatened by rains.

Virender Sehwag batted in the same manner as he has done throughout his career. This charismatic opener is mentally so strong that he’s not afraid of the reputation of the bowlers or the state of the pitch. He has only one word in his vocabulary. That is to dominate from the moment he sets his feet on the ground.

Sehwag is so immensely gifted that he rarely has to change the gears. If the ball lands in his zone he will go for it. His hand-eye coordination is exemplary and there is no more exciting sight in world cricket than watching him on song. He toys with the bowling literally every time he goes out with the bat in his hand.

No record appears out of his reach when he is on song. The New Zealanders can only hope that he himself would commit mistake early in his innings otherwise they should be prepared for another hammering in the field.

There is no element of surprise in watching him post India's fastest ODI hundred reaching the magical three figures off only 60 balls. If anybody has the capacity and the talent to break Shahid Afridi’s world record of fastest hundred it’s Sehwag.

His opening partner Gautam Gambhir also contributed his bit in the unbeaten double century stand that broke all hopes the hosts had of making a match of it even with the D/L system.

Earlier in the day New Zealand got off to a decent start once again through the opening pair of Jesse Ryder and Brendon McCullum but the rate of scoring dipped with the arrival of the spinners.

Yuvraj Singh and Yousuf Pathan offered little width to the batsmen who got frustrated and threw away their wickets. Harbhajan Singh was also very economical in his earlier overs and New Zealand had to take the batting powerplay earlier than anticipated to lift the tempo.

The move backfired as the pace duo of Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma were bang on target and their wicket-taking abilities allowed India to gain control. It was a wonderful exhibition of quality fast bowling from both ends.

India, however, had to pay dearly for the let off to Peter McGlashan, who was dropped first ball by Mahendra Singh Dhoni off Ishant Sharma. He rode his luck as did Grant Elliott as they somehow gathered 95 runs off the last 10 overs. 

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India just manage to sneak a win after compiling record total in New Zealand

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The Indians were mixed bag in the third One-day International against New Zealand at the AMI Stadium in Christchurch on March 8. After compiling the highest-ever ODI total of 392 for four on the New Zealand soil, the tourists appeared to have lost the plot while defending it. 

Pathetic bowling, horrible fielding and unimaginative captaincy almost cost India the game that should have been in their bag without any frightening moments. It was amazing to find Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who was been very impressive as a leader throughout his career, commit blunders in position of strength.

Dhoni, who has always been showered with praise for being so cool and creative even when the chips are down, was guilty of making a mess of it when he should have actually closed the issue.

A higher score had been chased down successfully in the ODI history before but that was done by an exceptionally powerful South African batting line-up. The New Zealanders were not all that well equipped to cause that kind of sensation and the bowling they were confronting had the variety as well as the punch to keep them well and truly in control.

The Indians did have the history of allowing their most unfancied of rivals to do something monumental and this might have been one factor that prompted the New Zealanders to be positive when they came out in pursuit of the target of 393 in 50 overs.

Brendon McCullum, who was leading the home side in the absence of Daniel Vettori, and his opening partner Jesse Ryder must have realized within minutes that the Indians were not going hard at them and the intensity in the field was low.

It was shocking to find the Indian fielders letting the ball go between their legs straight to the boundaries. Even more horrible were the two dropped catches in successive overs. Skipper Dhoni missed a regulation catch and soon afterwards Yousuf Pathan floored a sitter in the deep.

The New Zealand openers cashed in and they started to blast the bowling fearlessly. Even the champion off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was guilty of losing the focus and the runs kept flowing. 

The 166-run opening partnership was finally broken when McCullum was found well short of his crease while attempting another risky single. Wickets started tumbling and one hoped that the Indians will force the issue quickly after a superb spell from Zaheer Khan.

Just when Indian appeared to have taken complete control of the proceedings they were again shred into pieces by Kyle Mills and Tim Southee who smashed 83 runs in a matter of seven overs. 

It was unbelievable to find the Indians getting so ragged in the field at this stage. Dhoni made some strange moves and his decision to continue with Munaf Patel reflected the pressure having gone to his head. In normal circumstances he would have never that.

It turned out to be a blessing in disguise for India when Munaf was ordered by the umpires to quit the bowling crease after those two high full tosses both of whom had the batsmen caught. Dhoni was prompted to toss the ball to Yousuf at last to complete that unfinished over.

Yousuf followed three dot balls with a wicket on his last ball to break the partnership that had brutally exposed chinks in India’s armour. One wondered why Dhoni had not used him earlier when all the other bowlers were being put to sword.

India were indebted to Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh for setting up the platform for a huge total. Tendulkar was simply brilliant while notching up his maiden ODI hundred in New Zealand. Skipper Dhoni and Suresh Raina also contributed their bit to take the total close to 400. 

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India do justice to themselves in first ODI against New Zealand

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

After having flopped in the two-match series of the Twenty20 Internationals, awesome India finally showed glimpses of their brute force in the first One-day International against New Zealand at the McLean Park, Napier.

India, the reigning world champions in the shortest version of the game, had been overpowered by the hosts in both the T20 games that made everyone unsure about the outcome of the ODI series to be spread over five matches, weather permitting.

India, standing head and shoulders above their opponents in every department of the game, had lived to the reputation of failing against New Zealand in the T20 series but they did play to their abilities in the first ODI and the result was seldom in doubt.

Thankfully from the viewpoint of the millions of their supporters and well wishers in different corners of the world the Indians did justice to their talents in the game and there was hardly any chance for the hosts to think in terms of stealing another win.

The present Indian side is so much superior to New Zealand in terms of experience as well as talent. The gap between the two teams is simply too much and only self-destruction on part of the Indians can allow the hosts to come close in any form of the game on any kind of surface.

Rains did disrupt the proceedings in the first ODI but it couldn’t prevent the Indians from controlling the game all along. One can’t expect the inexperienced and youthful New Zealand outfit to come to terms with the mighty Indians whose every member of the team is a match-winner in his own right. 

It are mainly the outside factors that derail the Indians, more so against New Zealand, so let us keep our fingers crossed about the remaining games. It remains to be seen if Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his inspired lot will continue dominating the ODI series or it will be otherwise.

There was nothing extraordinary in the first ODI where it was business as usual for the Indians. Virender Sehwag got India off to a cracking start in his typically flamboyant style. Sachin Tendulkar was happy to play the second fiddle to Sehwag and then the skipper arrived himself at number three.

Dhoni has proved many times that he has the capability to bat up the order as he has the rare ability of changing gears at will. After Sehwag’s departure there was a period when Yuvraj Singh got bogged down much to the disappointment of his fans. 

But Suresh Raina provided the skipper the kind of support that was needed to raise the total substantially and India’s final score of 273 off 38 overs gave them a very solid platform.

The New Zealanders lost early wickets and they were always behind the clock. They had moved to 111 for four in the 21st over when the rains came again. They needed 105 off 43 balls when the play resumed, a task that was beyond their reach.

The form of the champion off-spinner Harbhajan Singh must have gladdened the hearts of the Indians. Extracting appreciable turn, he grabbed three wickets in four balls after having been smashed for boundaries on first two balls by Martin Guptill who topscored for the hosts with 64.

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