Clayton Murzello: No encore in Cape Town, please!

Indias main spinner Anil Kumble endures a frustrating moment on the final day of the Cape Town Test against South Africa on January 6 2007 PicGetty ImagesVirat Kohlis team opens a highly engrossing series in South Africa tomorrow at a venue that has contributed to India not winning a SAhosted Test series In fact India have won only two Tests there mdash Johannesburg in 200607 and Durban 201011 in a Test rivalry that is celebrating 25 seasons Indias victory at the Wanderers in Johannesburg during the 200607 season had the historians busy mdash first win over a top nonsubcontinental team in the opening Test of an away series since 1986 Indias maiden Test triumph in SA the hosts bowled out for their lowest score ever 84 since being readmitted to international cricketThe Johannesburg victory also provided India a golden chance to clinch their first series in the Rainbow Nation That opportunity was still alive even when SA put the Johannesburg defeat behind and won in Durban The third Test at Cape Town became all the more significantCynicism aside it was Indias great chance The chairman of India selectors Dilip Vengsarkar was in Cape Town and in an interview to me at the far end of the Newlands ground revealed that he told the Greg Chappellcoached team that they wouldnt get an opportunity for a series win like thisIndia began the Test in sterling fashion with Wasim Jaffer and standin opener Dinesh Karthik putting on 153 for the first wicket Jaffer got his first hundred against his 2000 Test debut opponents while Karthik scored 63 The visitors ended Day One on 254 for three They totaled 414 on the morrow far less than what they should haveWhen Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed by leftarm spinner Paul Harris for 64 on the second day the scoreboard read 337 for five but only 77 could be added on a pitch which appeared more Indian than South African India then bowled out South Africa for 373 with Anil Kumble claiming four for 117 Sreesanth the hero of Johannesburg sent back AB de Villiers and Hashim AmlaIt was on the fourth day that India absolutely blew it in conditions that were not exactly unfavourable to them The swift Dale Steyn claimed four mdash all tailenders mdash save Sehwag Opening the innings this time as against No 7 in the first innings he flashed at one to be caught by wicketkeeper Mark Boucher for four Those who felt Gautam Gambhir should have played instead of the offcolour Sehwag had that Itoldyouso look in the press box Jaffer couldnt replicate his first innings brilliance and was dismissed by Makhaya Ntini who got one to clip his gloves en route to De Villiers at second slip Harris got Dravid caught and bowled while Shaun Pollock trapped Tendulkar leg before after Ganguly fell to Jacques Kallis and VVS Laxman was run out Indias 169 looked pathetic Needing 211 to win SA ended Day Four on 55 with De Villiers and Amla back in the pavilionA possible collapse was thwarted by skipper Graeme Smiths second half century of the match and none of the Indian bowlers except Zaheer Khan 4 for 62 had anything to be proud of Kumble who had sent back Amla the previous evening endured a rare wicketless Day Five of a Test match It was that good a pitch And when Ashwell Prince scored the winning run off Tendulkar a dream was well and truly shattered It was Greg Chappells last Test series as coach of India and at the postmatch press conference he tried his best not to appear helpless However he did say Were going to have to make some decisions on which direction we go There will be a few guys under a bit of pressure theres no doubtGraeme Pollock the South African golden great was shocked Harris looked good and he can do a job but it was surprising to see him troubling the Indian batsmen who are supposedly good players of spin Pollock told meI was interviewed by an Australian journalist in the press box on Indias performance He requested me to read out on camera the first paragraph of my dispatch I obliged and many months later discovered it was used in a documentary on Chappells stint to reinforce the point how poor India were in that New Years Test Cape Town 2007 reflected the dark days of Indian cricket Current coach Ravi Shastri saw all that as a commentator and he wont allow those dark clouds to return His team deserve overseas success nowmiddays group sports editor Clayton Murzello is a purist with an open stance He tweets ClaytonMurzello Send your feedback to mailbagmiddaycomCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news current affairs from Mumbai local news crime news and breaking headlines hereDownload the new midday Android and iOS apps to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go