When Sachin Tendulkar finally went, flashing hard at a wide ball from Craig White, bowling at no more than military medium, the delight among the English mediamen was tinged with a murmur of disapproval. A pity that Nasser Hussain's defensive ploy had worked once again, it was argued mildly, and while it's all working well for England, it might not be a good thing for cricket after all. The only problem the Indians have with Hussain's tactics is that it has worked too well against them. Once again, they were hopelessly outmanoeuvred and outwitted by Hussain's attritional captaincy and they were not helped by a few injudicious strokes from their batsmen at inopportune moments.

But first to Tendulkar. He scored 16 runs off 61 balls, could have been out twice in the first five overs, but just when you thought it was his lucky day, he attempted a blazing stroke at a ball three feet outside his off stump to be caught behind. Eight times out of ten, he would have left it. But more crucially, eight times out of ten, he would have hit it to the fence. The problem was not with the shot, as a leading commentator said privately, the problem was in Tendulkar's mind. There was a hint of desperation in that stroke which reduced it to a mad flail instead of a majestic square-drive. Tendulkar had been strangled, denied the opportunity to play his natural game, and when the rare possibility of a boundary was presented, Tendulkar was drawn in to it, despite the risk. Hussain had played on his mind and won.

When Andrew Flintoff ran in to complete his unfinished over to Tendulkar, Hussain made no pretence of trying to take his wicket conventionally. Flintoff started round the wicket, with two men close to the bat on the leg side, a midwicket, a fine leg and a deep square leg. The line of attack had been set, and Flintoff stuck to it admirably.

Yesterday, Ashley Giles had tried the same tactics against Virender Sehwag and Sehwag had almost made him look silly for the most part. But Sehwag is a talented young man free from the cares of the world and unburdened by the weight of expectations. He had both the skill and heart to take the battle to his challenger and succeed. His inopportune dismissal last evening was perhaps a little naïve and had opened the game for England when India seemed to be coasting, but crucifying him for playing that shot would be unjust because Sehwag hasn't yet learnt to play any other way, and he is better off for it.

Barring VVS Laxman, the rest of the Indian batting was supine. Rahul Dravid was perhaps unlucky to have got a bad bounce, but Sourav Ganguly couldn't resist the temptation to put it across to his old friend Flintoff and the tail was never expected to contribute.

Yesterday, the Indian bowlers had let the last five English batsmen add 224 runs, three more than all 11 Indians managed. And this afternoon, when all their hopes, however slim, depended on choking the runs, they conceded 184 in 45 overs. Hussain has turned defense into a winning art, the Indians can't even defend to save their lives. Should it be any surprise that they look as good as dead now?

Sambit Bal is editor of Wisden.com India and Wisden Asia Cricket magazine.

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