Indian might in Kiwiland

India’s series win in Test matches in New Zealand is just another step in proving the supremacy of Dhoni’s daredevils in the game,
writes Abhijit Chatterjee

IT took 41 years to come, but it was well worth the wait as Dhoni and his boys put it across New Zealand to claim a Test rubber in Kiwiland 41 years after Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi-led side drubbed the Kiwis 3-1 in 1968. But the margin of victory could well have been 2-0 instead of 1-0 if only rain had not played the spoilsport on the last day of play at Wellington which left the visitors within sniffing distance of victory after the hosts had lost eight wickets in their effort to save the game.

The series win was all the more sweeter after the drubbing and humiliation India suffered during their last tour of New Zealand. Dhoni might well rue the fact that India unnecessarily batted for about an hour on the fourth day even after they had taken a 531-run lead at the end of the third day’s play, a target much beyond the achievement of any team batting last in any Test.

What made Dhoni take the decision to go on to add 85 runs to the Indian tally on the morning of the fourth day is difficult to fathom. Some would criticise Dhoni’s safety-first attitude or was it something else? With the weather being what it is in New Zealand, India could have got along with their task of bowling to the hosts the second time around instead of wasting time with batting on.

As it is 21 overs could not be sent down on the fourth day itself due to bad light and on the final day light rain stopped play 30 minutes into the post-lunch session with India, within sight of a win, twiddling their thumbs in the dressing room. But one thought that the body language of Indians even on the fourth day was not very positive as they went about their task on the ground. Dhoni’s field placings also could be faulted, as these seemed to be too defensive.

There is no doubt that India were the better of the two teams. The first Test at Hamilton was won by the visitors easily but their laidback attitude nearly allowed the hosts to crawl back into the game in the second Test. However, the tenacity and experience of the Indian batting line-up enabled the team to fight back and draw the game. And at Wellington, often termed the toughest ground to play a Test match on, India nearly pulled it off but for the weather. May be over the years Dhoni, who has a long career ahead of him, will learn to decide the best time for declaration. The senior players who had toured New Zealand earlier could have advised Dhoni to apply the closure earlier than he actually did.

Rival skipper Daniel Vettori had no hesitation in saying that he and his team were defeated by a better squad. In a newspaper column, Vettori has gone on to say that India together with Australia and South Africa should be jostling for space at the top of the ICC Test rankings. The biggest gain of this tour has undoubtedly been the rediscovering of Gautam Gambhir, who, with 445 runs in six innings at an average of 89 with two consecutive Test centuries, has played a major part in the series.

His first effort in the second innings of the drawn second Test at Napier was something he can justifiably be proud of. Opening the Indian second innings after being asked to follow on Gambhir scored 137 runs during a 643-minute marathon stay at the wicket. His second century in the third Test was a quicker effort with 167 runs coming in 352 minutes. If Gambhir took the batting honours, although V.V.S. Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar also scored a century each in the course of the series, the bowling honours certainly belong to Harbhajan Singh. He took 16 wickets at an average of 21.37 under not so favourable conditions for a spin bowler.

After touring New Zealand once Bishen Bedi had said that even gripping the ball properly is a difficult task in New Zealand. Also among the wicket-takers was Zaheer Khan who claimed 13 wickets at 30.76 runs a piece. Zaheer now looks a complete bowler and under bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad his talent has really blossomed. He maintains his intensity from his first over right till his last, something that the other medium pacers in the Indian team have to learn from him.