India consistently inconsistent

After producing 627 runs in Chennai in an innings a week ago, all eyes were on the second Test in Ahmedabad. The hosts entered into the match with high in confidence. Skipper Anil Kumble chose to bat first after winning the toss. But to utter disappointment, India were dismissed for a paltry 76 in 20 overs, couldn’t stand even for one session! There was a little bit of grass on top of the wicket. But so what? We have just defeated the world champions in their own den. And nowhere than Perth, one of the fastest wickets in the world.

After the day's play Harbhajan came in to the media conference to take the flaks. "Everything went wrong for us. It was not the bit of grass to blame but the absence of red clay. Our strength lies in spin. We have a bunch of upcoming seamers who are world class. Nevertheless we win Test matches due to spinners. That is our traditional strength."

But who is to blame? Everybody cried foul after the Chennai track produced 1498 runs for 25 wickets. Might be, even the curator himself was not sure if weather would permit the game for five days. And the very next game saw a track without any red clay in Motera. Is it the curator at fault or the team management? It was a conscious decision by the think tank to bat first if India wins the toss. So, did overconfidence cost the team or lack of application by the Indian batsmen?

Everything went wrong for us is what Harbhajan had to say. It was just a matter of playing a session for a couple of hours. But the same team could not stand for two overs to lose a Test match, not much ago. A part-time bowler Clarke claimed three wickets in five deliveries to seal the win for Aussies in Sydney. Of course, it is cricket. We have to move on. We cannot hold back ourselves for what went wrong in a match.

There is still an opportunity for the hosts, if they can repeat the Kolkata comeback in 2001. India must get some early wickets on day two and play for the next two days in the second innings to turn the match. That is the only way out for the hosts to take the match into their stride. South Africa have 147-run lead and six wickets at hand. Both Jacques Kallis, unbeaten on 60 and AB de Villiers 59, look dangerous in the middle. Mark Boucher is yet to come in apart from the tail enders who should never be under estimated.

Can the experienced spin duo of kumble and Harbhajan do the trick for the hosts? Irfan Pathan, selected ahead of Md Kaif and Yuvraj Singh, has to play a definite role too. He must justify Kumble's decision to replace Tendulkar with himself than Kaif who was an ideal choice. The team has to pull up their socks or else, India deserve to be called 'consistently inconsistent' as seen in the last decade.

-- Soumitra Mishra

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