With things going swimmingly well and India needing to bat once, bat big and bat England out of the game, India's captain had a brain fade
| 76.2 | Panesar to Dravid, OUT, got him! Tossed up outside off, Dravid never got his foot to the pitch of the ball - poking at it without conviction, much as he has done against Panesar on occasion throughout his innings, and Bell takes an excellent diving catch to his left at short extra |
| R Dravid c Bell b Panesar 37 (94b 5x4 0x6) SR: 39.36 |
For all the comparisons with Cape Town, the Indian tactics ( with Dravid and Sachin batting) in this test seemed sound.
The new ball was due and India would not have liked a new batsman facing first up.Plus there were 3 more days of Test Cricket left after today.
And from Englands point of view, they had to play damage control given the batsmen India have in the pavilion. Every ball, every over that they are on the field added to the pressure and frustration.Also, Vaughan's ability to attack with the new ball would have been blunted with two set batsmen at the crease.
And India could afford a go slow at this stage of the game and at this time of the day because they were in total control.
Which is why Rahul Dravid's dismissal is inexcusable.
How much of an opening will his late dismissal give England? And how much time will India take to consolidate tomorrow before opening out?
And what lead will India and conversely England feel satisfied with?
An intriguing day's play beckons.
2 comments:
"Which is why Rahul Dravid's dismissal is inexcusable" ...
Inexcusable, Homer? Just this once please? On his behalf, I apologise and promise he'll never get out again ...
You misunderstand the argument Sfx -it is not the fact that he got out, it is the fact that he made the choice to play that shot at that stage of the game.
It was an uncharacteristic shot, given the lead up to the moment.
And it gave England an opening.
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