Related Links

By Syed Ahsan Ali.

It does not get better than this for India to lift the trophy of any series and especially in an overseas tour. If we forget about the hullabaloo after the sensational Trent Bridge victory and close our eyes, take a deep breath and look at the whole situation regarding the Indian chances of clinching the series against England. You will definitely have a thought that Indians are looking in far better shape to do it.

The reason behind this opinion is the way the Indians are performing as a team. For a change, they are not relying heavily on any single individual at all. There is no Sachin factor, there is no steely Dravid required, there is not too much hype about Jumbo’s length and line, this time around it is all about how all eleven men conjure up to do it for their nation. This is the best thing that can happen to any team that they are relying on each other to pull it off for their country. Zaheer was the hero for Indians in the Second Test but he did not win it all alone. It was the combined effort. Sachin’s ninety in the first innings, Ganguly’s seventy in the first innings, RP’s magic deliveries, Kumble’s perseverance kept him fresh and determined enough to punch in the killing blow which he delivered as the senior-most bowler in the camp.

Another thing that is going in favour of the Indian team is their capability to handle a much less experienced bowling attack at the disposal of Vaughan. The Indian bowling attack looks far more penetrative and sharp in comparison to the English attack. I have no doubt that Indian bowling attack will bowl its heart out. Real onus will be on the Indian batting.

But Indian in-form middle order and the gem at top of the order - Karthik can propel them forward towards rewriting history. Laxman, Ganguly, Tendulkar, Dhoni have felt good about their batting in the last two matches, now the million dollar question is can they do it when it really matters? Real test would be of the big four Dravid, Laxman, Dada and Sachs. Considering the time they have spent so far in the middle during the series and runs they have amassed, hopefully they will hit the road in the correct gear.

Any thoughts of managing 1-1 score line in the Indian camp can be the most fatal mistake at this point in time. There should be no half-measures. They should go for a kill and it cannot be a better farewell to the big three playing their last series in England. I hope they would give in their best shot to manage something fantabulous for themselves. Honest opinion, Indian can really pull this off.
 

Top of the Page