A sad capitulation
Shivaji Sengupta - 26 November 2002

I was one of those people living in the US who had the singular misfortune of watching the entire New Zealand-India first Test at Basin Reserve, Wellington, on willow.tv. I had anticipated a tough test for India, especially if Sourav Ganguly lost the toss. But never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that what eventually ensued would happen.

A wicket off the last ball of the second over; the second wicket gone at nine; the third at twenty-nine. You might remind me of India’s recent capitulation for 103 at Bridgetown, Barbados, earlier this year. But, no, despite the lower total there, there was something about the team's performance at Basin Reserve which made it even more pathetic.

Virender Sehwag, Ganguly, VVS Laxman seemed to have no idea on how to play the New Zealand bowlers, only one of whom Shane Bond is a genuine speedster. The trio seemed to have feet cast of lead.

What Rahul Dravid showed in the first innings, and Sachin Tendulkar in the second, was that you got to move your feet. But sadly the lesson was lost upon the others. Sehwag remained rigid; Ganguly statuesque.

Now one can look forward to more of the same at Hamilton where the second Test will be played. True, the groundsman there is a sporting bloke he is preparing bouncy practice pitches too. But can Zaheer Khan, Ajit Agarkar and Tinu Yohanan bounce the ball the way the Kiwis do, with control and venom? And, anyway, our problem all of a sudden! is batting. Can Sehwag, Ganguly and Laxman score a few runs?

I have always admired the Indian captain for his tenacity. Compared to Tendulkar and Dravid, he is almost pedestrian. But when faced with adversity, he never gives up without a fight. Even in that recent infamous Barbados Test, Ganguly scored 48 and 60 not out. Pedro Collins and Mervin Dillon, who had practically overwhelmed the captain on a much more docile Test wicket at Bourda, Guyana, were not able to do much on a fast pitch as far as Sourav Ganguly was concerned. Still, when India’s second innings had ended at Barbados, the captain departed not out, his head hung low. He had done his bit; but India hadn’t.

At Basin Reserve, however, it was a different story. Ganguly was dropped twice behind the wicket. Yet, like a man under hypnosis, he slashed at a ball going away, and was caught. Third time lucky, said Jeremy Coney, sarcastically referring, of course, to the New Zealand fielders, but the irony was not lost on me.

So now, like their English chums a little distance away in Australia, the Indians can look forward to a torturous tour which will not end with the two Tests. Shane Bond and his cohorts will make their lives miserable in the seven one-dayers. And even then, the agony won’t end. Because from thence, it is to South Africa to face Brett Lee and Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami. Even the English will have their Joneses. Looks like Lance Klusener’s famous pronouncement “The Indians are all right here in Sri Lanka, but they won’t like the bouncy pitches back in South Africa!”will come back to haunt.

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