Ahmedabad Test, Day 2, Lunch
Wednesday, December 12, 2001

England showed the spirit that helped them record series wins in Pakistan and Sri Lanka and in the process injected a much-needed competitiveness in this series.

Many thought that Sourav Ganguly should have opted for the new ball straight away, but I would not like to join those critics because the Indian captain had more faith in his spinners and thought it would be productive to bring them on from the ends opposite to which they bowled yesterday. And it was a move which almost paid off with Harbhajan Singh bowling beautifully but without much luck – keeper Deep Dasgupta reprieving Craig White off the off-spinner.

White is an enigma. Either he disappoints hugely or does something outstandingly well to help his team get into a match-winning position. Today one saw the positive side of him, getting close to a hundred and placing England in a very healthy position.

The Indian catching under John Wright had improved remarkably, but unfortunately today was not one of those days as too many chances went abegging. And Dasgupta's keeping is a matter of serious concern.

James Foster was one of the few England batsmen who was able to read the ball leaving the bowler's hand. For a batsman coming in at No 8, his technique and approach was very impressive.

There is one team that will feel the pressure from here on, and that's the home side.

Sanjay Manjrekar, mainstay of the Indian batting in the late '80s and early '90s, was talking to H Natarajan

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Day 1, Close: Complacent India

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