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How much should one read into the 2-1 verdict that the Indians gained
over the South Africans? How meritorious is it? Should it be rated as a
commendable effort or one that should not be ranked very high? These
are the questions that have surfaced following the three matches at
Belfast.
These days with the growing number of ODIs being played, there is a
tendency to dismiss victories notched up in these matches. The words
``special’’, ``significant’’ and ``notable’’ are rarely used while the
most common phrase to describe such wins is ``routine.’’ But there is
enough evidence to suggest that the series triumph over South Africa is
something better than just routine.
The first thing going for it is the background. The Indians were a
shell shocked side following the disastrous World Cup campaign. Events
off the field did not help matters and the predictable happenings in
Bangladesh - even if both the Test series and the ODIs were won –
raised more questions. Playing South Africa is always a tough
proposition and to take them on in this bleak scenario at a neutral
venue was going to be even tougher. On top of that the Indians had to
endure a flu epidemic and were in danger of not having eleven fit men
on the eve of the second game of the three match series. Morale is
bound to take a beating in these circumstances and it is to the credit
of the team management and every member of the touring squad that they
took the hurdle in their stride and emerged victorious – and after
being a match down.
Oh yes, whichever way one looks at the result from the Indian viewpoint
it has to be termed ``special’’, ``significant’’ or ``notable’’ And
what about historic for it was for the first time that the Indians had
won a bilateral series against South Africa outside India. It was also
India’s first series win outside the sub continent since 2002 when they
defeated England in the NatWest Series final. Little wonder that Rahul
Dravid was ecstatic. ``Away from home, we haven't won a lot so it was
nice to win this. It meant a lot to the team particularly as we have
had a few disappointments lately. To win a one-day series against the
No. 2 side in the world, away from home, in conditions that suited them
rather than us, I’d say we acquitted ourselves very well. After the
World Cup disappointment, we needed to regroup and get our confidence
back. We have worked hard as a team and deserve all the success that
comes our way. The preparation for the tour was not ideal but I'm
really happy the way the boys put up their hands up and performed. They
did not knuckle down under pressure.’’
Heady praise indeed from the skipper and why not? The ``boys in blue’’
were fully deserving of the accolades. Both the batting and bowling
came off even though there are still some rough edges in the fielding
that will have to be smoothened out. And with all due credit to the
bowling it must be admitted that it was the batting that ultimately
tilted the scales. India’s traditional strength is their batting and
they proved it once again during the series. With a couple of 90s
Sachin Tendulkar yet again underlined the fact that even though the
over the hill process has started he is still invaluable to the line
up. The steadiness is provided by the tried and trusted duo of Sourav
Ganguly and Dravid while Dinesh Karthik can be relied upon to deliver
the goods in the middle order. But the man of the moment is certainly
Yuvraj Singh whose stature keeps growing with every series.
In a column last year I had predicted that he was going to be a vital
cog in the wheel in future – perhaps even a proven match winner - and
the manner in which he is shaping the pugnacious and prodigiously
gifted left-hander promises to be the leader of the new generation that
will obviously take over in a couple of year’s time when the present
trio of Dravid, Ganguly and Tendulkar exit the stage. Tendulkar himself
paid Yuvraj the highest compliment at the end of the matches. ``It is
only because of Yuvraj that we are holding this trophy," he said.
Tendulkar could not have put it better for despite his own two valuable
knocks it was Yuvraj’s ability to finish off the job in a pressure
cooker situation that clinched the series for India. Dravid was no less
wholesome in his praise. "He's got the power, he's got the skill and
he's matching that power and skill with temperament, mental strength
and brains. That's a deadly combination. He is up there among the best
one-day players in the world without a doubt."
So the Indians have won the battle. But the war lies ahead in England.
Belfast may have provided pleasant memories but the tourists would do
well to leave that behind and concentrate on the tougher tasks over the
next two months. They should not rest on their laurels. They should
carry the confidence derived from the latest triumph and strive to
perform even better in both the Tests and ODIs in England. Michael
Vaughan has already said that he expects the Indians to provide stiffer
opposition than the West Indians and has asked his men to prepare
accordingly. The Indians should likewise raise the level of their game,
play above their potential and aim to win the Test series something
that they have done only twice before on 14 tours of England.
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More Views by Partab Ramchand
