Meek surrender. That was what the Indians were guilty of at Basin Reserve on Saturday, as they dished out yet another spineless performance to lose the first Test comprehensively. The supposedly best batting line-up in the world merely succumbed to the pace of Shane Bond, Daryl Tuffey and Jacob Oram like novices, as the leaden-footed batsmen showed poor footwork that would have even embarrassed schoolboys. It was a lesson for those who were watching as to how not to bat against fast bowlers.
I can understand the first innings debacle, which can be put down to not getting enough time to acclimatise to the wicket. However, there is just no excuse for freezing at the sight of Shane Bond.
The Indian batsmen were beaten fairly and squarely by sheer pace. And, mind you, it was nowhere near hostile pace. They not only played late at the deliveries, but also did not move their feet to the pitch of the ball at all, as they played from the crease itself. Not surprisingly, there was a procession to the wicket and back to the pavilion.
Its no crime to lose a Test match, but its definitely a crime the way the Indians lost it on Saturday. The batsmen just did not have the stomach to fight it out. There was simply no commitment to the teams cause. The will to stay at the wicket and accumulate runs was just not there.
Its difficult to comprehend that some of the finest batsmen in world cricket could get out within 38 overs, after getting out in 58 overs in the first innings and losing the Test in two and a half days.
The Indian coach is a Kiwi, and I am sure he must have told the bowlers what line and length to bowl in the prevailing conditions. And, to the batsmen, as to how to go about scoring runs which shots to play and which ones to avoid.
Thats the job of a coach and if the players are unable to put his advice into practise one really cannot blame the coach.
The Kiwis bowled very well. As expected, Shane Bond was the pick of the lot. He bowled fast but, more importantly, did not get carried away by the bounce by pitching the ball short. Their fielding, too, was top class as they picked blinders close to the wicket.
All in all, it was a fantastic performance by the Kiwis and that too coming in the absence of their star performer, Chris Cairns, is all the more praiseworthy.
Opening with a loss
So India lost the first Test against New Zealand on Saturday? Heads may not roll, but cries of anguish will surely rent the length and breadth of this cricketer-worshipping country. But statistics will have something else to say: India has lost the opening Test match in every series played abroad since 1986. Take a look
1989-90 (Christchurch) vs New Zealand: Lost by 10 wickets like the just-concluded Test at Wellington. The current coach John Wright made 185 runs as India was bowled out for 164 and 296, with Navjot Sidhu and W V Raman being the highest run-getters with scores of 51 and 96 respectively.
1990 (Lords) vs England: Lost by a whopping 247 runs. Graham Gooch made 333 and 123 runs in the match, with Kapil Devs four sixes in a row avoiding a follow-on for India. Shastri made 100 and Azharuddin scored 121 in Indias tally of 454 and 224.
1991-92 (Brisbane) vs Australia: Lost by 10 wickets. India was bowled out for 239 and 156 against the hosts scores of 340 and 58 for no loss. McDermott claimed nine wickets, Merv Hughes seven and Michael Whitney remaining four.
1996 (Birmingham) vs England: Lost by eight wickets. India could make only 214 and 219, with Sachin Tendulkar scoring 122 in the second innings. England, with Nasser Hussains 128, plundered 313 and 121 for two. Dominic Cork claimed six wickets.
1996-97 (Durban) vs South Africa: Lost by 328 runs. India was dismissed for partly scores of 100 and 66, with Allan Donald claiming nine wickets. The home team made 235 and 259 runs.
1998-99 (Harare) vs Zimbabwe: Lost by 61 runs. India could score 280 and 173, with Rahul Dravid making 118 and 44 runs. In reply, Zimbabwe made 221 and 293.
1998-99 (Wellington) vs New Zealand: As the first Test was abandoned without a ball being bowled, India lost this one by four wickets. India made 208 and 356 with centuries from Azharuddin and Tendulkar. The home team made 352 and 215 for six.
1999-00 (Adelaide) vs Australia: Lost by 285 runs. India scored 285 and 110 runs. Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne chipped in with six victims each. Australia made 441 and 239 for eight declared.
2001-02 (Galle) vs Sri Lanka: Lost by 10 wickets. India managed only 187 and 180, with Mutthiah Muralitharan taking eight wickets. In reply, Sri Lanka scored 362 and then six for no loss.
2001-02 (Bloemfontein) vs South Africa: Lost by nine wickets. India made 379 and 237 with Tendulkar (155), Sehwag (105) scoring centuries. The home team made 563 and hen 54 for one.
2002 (Lords) vs England: Lost by 170 runs. England made 487 and 301 for six declared. In reply, India was bowled out for 221 and 397 with century from Ajit Agarkar in the second innings.
2002-03 (Wellington) vs New Zealand: Lost by 10 wickets. India was bundled out for 161 and 121 runs with Shane Bond claiming seven wickets. The match got over in three days.
