da apostebet： © CricInfo The Indian performance at Headingley has been nothing short ofmagnificent
Erapalli Prasanna27-Aug-2002
© CricInfoThe Indian performance at Headingley has been nothing short ofmagnificent. With the team playing as a unit at last , theystunned their critics and supporters alike on their way to one ofthe most famous wins in Indian cricket history.The seeds of this win were possibly sown at Trent Bridge wherethe Indian batsmen came up with a commendable display in the face of relentless pressure to eke out what might possibly turn out to be a series-defining draw. Sourav Ganguly had presciently observed after that Test – and he was a brave manto voice those thoughts at that point of time – that the “great escape” had opened up the series.He and his team-mates proceeded to prove precisely this atHeadingley. The right beginning was made when the Indian thinktank ensured that the best combination took the field onThursday. Playing Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh, despiteHeadingley’s reputation of being seamer-friendly, was a wise moveand as later events proved it played a more-than-significant rolein ensuring a series-levelling win.Backing his reading of the pitch and the conditions, Ganguly madeyet another vital decision after winning the toss – he elected tobat despite the overcast conditions. This possibly took theEnglishmen by surprise, for their new-ball bowlers were soonspraying the ball all over the place. Seizing the opportunitythat their waywardness presented, Sanjay Bangar and Rahul Draviddisplayed praise-worthy application to fashion a 150-plus secondwicket partnership that laid the platform for a mammoth Indianfirst innings total.Bangar’s grittiness and resolve during the stand was impressive.As for Dravid, it was one of his finest knocks. He came in whenthe conditions were heavily loaded in the favour of the bowlersand his determination and application showed the way to theremaining batsmen.The scintillating partnership between Sachin Tendulkar and SouravGanguly that followed firmly wrested the initiative and musthave rattled the Englishmen no end. Tendulkar’s 30th Test ton wasa true milestone – it went on to play a major role in ensuringone of the most impressive Indian Test wins ever.After the batsmen had done their job in the most glorious fashionpossible, it was the turn of the bowlers to came to the party.Summoning their best when it was most needed, they maintained agood line and length for once and dismissed England for a cheapscore in the first innings. In the second innings too, they madea promising beginning and exercised almost complete mastery overthe early batsmen. It was only when Nasser Hussain and AlecStewart got together that they seemed to lose the plot.
© CricInfoAnil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh, in particular, gave theimpression that their primary objective lay in restricting thescoring-rate. It was a baffling ploy to say the least, for theirbest chance in earning a wicket lay in tempting the batsman intoinjudicious strokeplay. Fortunately, Hussain’s dismissal on thefifth morning meant that the spring was back in the steps of theIndian bowlers. With Stewart too following soon after, theEnglismen were quick to wilt. The innings and 46 runs victorywhich ensued was just reward for what was a true team effort fromthe Indians.Now, the caravan moves on to the Oval where my illustrious teammate Bhagwat Chandrasekhar engineered one of the greatest IndianTest wins in 1971. I am sure that 31 years on, a confident Indianteam, with due help from their excellent spin duo, would be ableto ensure that history repeats itself.