Sunday, December 29, 2002 At last the crowd got their money's worth, with both sides playing better cricket on the best pitch we have had in the series. It was a good game simply because both sides batted with better technique.

Virender Sehwag's innings proved how rewards can be reaped if you prepare an innings. Sehwag took time to settle down, played a lot straighter and got behind the ball. We saw those nice punch shots down the ground and through cover. He played some top shots that showed his confidence.

Sehwag's six over the point boundary and into the crowd was my favourite moment of the match. It was magnificent, a shot that we don't often see in New Zealand. His strokeplay revealed that he has the courage and ability to fight through a lean trot. He has what it takes to be a good player at this level.

Mohammad Kaif's wicket was the turning point of the day. He was playing a fine supporting role to Sehwag, and his wicket falling at 182 left the Indian lower order with a little too much to do.

The fielding between the two sides was also a key difference. New Zealand showed they were the more athletic and better-organized team. To me, the Indian fielding today was perhaps the worst ever seen in New Zealand from a visiting side.

Rahul Dravid's wicketkeeping was woeful, and in contrast Brendon McCullum, the New Zealand keeper, took four catches, a stumping and didn't concede a bye. The 25 to 30 runs India lost in the field was close to the 35-run margin of New Zealand's victory.

Dravid, though, must be sent up the batting order - ideally at No.3 - and whether he can handle that responsibility and wicketkeeping is for the Indian team management to sort out before the World Cup.

It was criminal that India failed to bowl their 50 overs on time and were docked two overs when they batted. That lapse was a poor reflection on Sourav Ganguly, who, as a captain, looked out of sorts on the field as he did with the bat. He fielded badly, set a poor example and his body language spelt defeat. His batting lasted three balls, he shuffled once or twice, poked his bat out and dragged a ball onto his stumps. In press conferences, his voice now lacks strength and he looks like a man who believes he cannot win.

That's why I think a change of captaincy will help him and India. I said today while doing TV commentary with Ravi Shastri, and have always said before, that Sachin Tendulkar, as the best player in the side, should captain India. He is a great thinker, has the best cricketing brain and him taking over would give Ganguly a chance to sort out some problems.

It's worrying from an Indian point of view that Ganguly has got into such a dispirited mode. This is not the way to lead a young side and definitely not any side that needs direction with the World Cup around the corner.

I can understand what Ganguly is going through. I went through a series when I hadn't scored for two or three innings and felt I was out of form. In such a situation, you have to go back to doing the simple things, and that starts with focussing on one ball at a time. Currently, with the pressure of the ICC contracts problem too, the frustration is building up on Ganguly.

For India to get back in the series, they have to pay respect to each ball and make it count – save each run on the field and look to bat more straight while starting an innings. They can learn from Sehwag's innings today.

Martin Crowe is a former captain of New Zealand and one of the most technically accomplished batsmen of his time. From 1981 to 1994, he played 77 Tests and made 5444 Test runs with 17 hundreds. He will give his expert view for India's seven one-day matches in New Zealand. He was talking to Raja M.

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