In Indian cricket first decade of 21st centaury will always be remembered for Indian team breaking stereotype of soft travelers and pulling off some great victories in tests outside subcontinent. When India won Perth test on 19-Jan-2008 , Australia had not lost single test match on it’s home soil since 16-Dec-2003 and guess which team beat them back then, well it was India. That goes to show India’s improved overseas record and then we could boldly declare that dark Azharuddin era of dismal tours was indeed thing of past. We lost 4-0 in England this year and whitewash in Australia is not looking unlikely .Question that comes to my mind is this the beginning of the end of illustrious overseas batting performances ?
Sachin: In South Africa this great Indian maestro was flying high with the help of second wing. Now also he is getting good starts but that illusive three figure mark ,that big innings is just not happening for him. Is all the hype and talk of 100th century taking its toll? Are old tiring body and mind not able to concentrate for longer periods? Only time will tell for we cannot enter into his mind to find an answer.
Dravid: Australian quickies are successfully penetrating red leather between bat and pad of our great wall. Dravid was the sole shining light, sole warrior in otherwise bunch of submissive, dismal batters in England. Siddle and company are getting the better of him with probing in-swingers.
Laxman: The artist, most stylish amongst so called holy trinity, at this stage of career finds himself in a situation where in every failure triggers talk of retirement. With every Pattinson delivery that gets the edge of driving willow of Laxman , we quitely ask if we have seen last of this great batsman. Throw pace and bounce challenge at him and he will overcome it with flying colors but same does not apply to seam and swing. This drawback was brutally exploited by Andersons and Broads of the world in English summer and now he is struggling to cope with young Ausi pace attack on comparatively more seaming tracks.
Gambhir: For all his great efforts in subcontinent and in New Zealand, he has not proven his worth against quality bowling attacks away from home. That tentative poke at deliveries outside the off stump resulting in outside edge looks like same story played all over again. His case appears weaker than Laxman and he may be just one failure away from being axed.
Shewag: Key to India’s success in 2003 was starts provided by fearsome Shewag and calm Aakash Chopra. Baring first innings at MCG Shewag’s failure meant middle order was exposed far too early for India’s comfort.
Kohli: Like Raina this prince of shorter format is realizing how tough transition from blue to white can get. When Kohli is batting it looks matter of time before he finds not so sweet part of the bat and umpire raises his index finger. His not so smart use of finger adjacent to index finger made sure he grabbed headline for wrong reason and lost 50% of match fees in the process. Rohit Sharma is knocking the door hard and I am sure Kohli is listening.
Dhoni: You cannot command respect as skipper with such batting record in test cricket. Good news for Dhoni is there is no decent wicket-keeper batsman knocking the door at the moment.
Anurag Choudhary
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