Monday, December 15, 2008
Tendulkar century sets up famous win
After all the turmoil of recent weeks, India couldn't have picked a better moment to create history, completing a famous six-wicket victory in Chennai by chasing down the fourth-highest total in Test cricket. And there could be no better figure than Sachin Tendulkar to mastermind the uplifting success with a century of such serenity that he made the pressure-cooker environment seem like an afternoon in the park. Along with Yuvraj Singh, he added an unbroken 163, sapping the England spirit that had carried them into such a dominant position.
The closing stages were dominated by scenes of a hysteric crowd cheering dot-balls as Yuvraj ensured Tendulkar had time to reach his 41st century. The moment came with perfect symmetry as Tendulkar swept Graeme Swann to fine leg to reach the hundred and complete victory. All the previous times India have come up short in run-chases, and claims that Tendulkar doesn't contribute at crunch times, will be forgotten.
At the end of the third day Gary Kirsten, a man of few words, said he believed this Indian team was capable of anything. Now, after following their victory over Australia with this triumph, the momentum of the side is starting to feel unstoppable. The batting faltered in the first innings, but they never lost confidence in their own ability, highlighted by Virender Sehwag's bombast, Tendulkar's calm and Yuvraj's flair.
England have been through such a range of emotions that it will probably take them a while to dissect what has gone on. They performed above expectations for much of the game, but on the final day wilted against a great batting line-up. Their bowlers couldn't summon up the same consistency that was successful earlier in the match. They failed to break through in clusters, with Andrew Flintoff's third-over removal of an out-of-form Rahul Dravid and James Anderson's curtailing of Gautam Gambhir's stylish 66 proving false dawns. Each time another Indian batsman would bed in on a pitch that never quite developed into the viper it promised to be.
The stand between Tendulkar and Yuvraj was worthy of such a significant occasion - when they came together the match was still in England's favour after Graeme Swann had VVS Laxman taken at short leg shortly after lunch. Yuvraj struck two early boundaries off Swann and made it clear he was going to play his natural game, rather than prod around as in the first innings. England tried everything to unsettle him, but this time he didn't get sucked into any verbals with Flintoff, instead just turning away and giving the silent treatment. Steve Harmison ended up hurling the ball back at him from his follow-through, but Yuvraj calmly patted it away and bit his tongue.
The presence of Tendulkar was vital. He remained entrenched and massively focused after overcoming a testing start against Flintoff, who was the only pace bowler Kevin Pietersen could rely on for control, and ensured Yuvraj focused on his batting. He manoeuvred the spinners with great skill and Pietersen was always a few deliveries late with his field changes. The England captain will learn with time, but his team's tactics had been strangely negative since lunch yesterday, although Sehwag's innings clearly impacted their mindset on the final day.
The closest England came to breaking the decisive stand was when Yuvraj swept at Swann and all the close fielders went up for a gloved catch. It was only the bowler who believed in the lbw shout, and replays showed it was hitting halfway up middle stump. Swann found turn and bounce, reward for giving the ball a tweak, although he had a tendency to drift too straight rather than making the batsmen drive. However, he can hold his head high after a promising debut.
Monty Panesar, on the other hand, was again hugely disappointing and remained wicketless from 27 overs while conceding nearly four an over. For the second time in three Tests, following South Africa's successful chase at Edgbaston, the pressure of a final-innings situation that should have suited him perfectly instead caused him to seize up. He was cut and pulled far too often and even when he tried to build pressure, by bowling over the wicket to Tendulkar, runs still ticked along.
Once the target was below three figures Yuvraj began to express himself by pulling Panesar for six then attacking the new ball. That had been England's last chance, but the batsmen were so well set that it barely made a difference. The belief was surging through India and Yuvraj even brought out one of his one-day specialities, clearing his front leg to launch Anderson over mid-on. This innings could be the making of him.
He offered a half chance on 55, gloving a short ball from Harmison down the leg side, but Matt Prior couldn't take it tumbling to his right, and a more clear-cut opportunity when Prior missed a leg-side stumping late on. However, by then only 20 more were needed and any chance of an England fightback had long since disappeared. This experience will be tough to take, but extenuating circumstances should allow them a greater degree of pride in their performance. Nothing, though, will take the glory away from India, and after a performance like this nothing should
The closing stages were dominated by scenes of a hysteric crowd cheering dot-balls as Yuvraj ensured Tendulkar had time to reach his 41st century. The moment came with perfect symmetry as Tendulkar swept Graeme Swann to fine leg to reach the hundred and complete victory. All the previous times India have come up short in run-chases, and claims that Tendulkar doesn't contribute at crunch times, will be forgotten.
At the end of the third day Gary Kirsten, a man of few words, said he believed this Indian team was capable of anything. Now, after following their victory over Australia with this triumph, the momentum of the side is starting to feel unstoppable. The batting faltered in the first innings, but they never lost confidence in their own ability, highlighted by Virender Sehwag's bombast, Tendulkar's calm and Yuvraj's flair.
England have been through such a range of emotions that it will probably take them a while to dissect what has gone on. They performed above expectations for much of the game, but on the final day wilted against a great batting line-up. Their bowlers couldn't summon up the same consistency that was successful earlier in the match. They failed to break through in clusters, with Andrew Flintoff's third-over removal of an out-of-form Rahul Dravid and James Anderson's curtailing of Gautam Gambhir's stylish 66 proving false dawns. Each time another Indian batsman would bed in on a pitch that never quite developed into the viper it promised to be.
The stand between Tendulkar and Yuvraj was worthy of such a significant occasion - when they came together the match was still in England's favour after Graeme Swann had VVS Laxman taken at short leg shortly after lunch. Yuvraj struck two early boundaries off Swann and made it clear he was going to play his natural game, rather than prod around as in the first innings. England tried everything to unsettle him, but this time he didn't get sucked into any verbals with Flintoff, instead just turning away and giving the silent treatment. Steve Harmison ended up hurling the ball back at him from his follow-through, but Yuvraj calmly patted it away and bit his tongue.
The presence of Tendulkar was vital. He remained entrenched and massively focused after overcoming a testing start against Flintoff, who was the only pace bowler Kevin Pietersen could rely on for control, and ensured Yuvraj focused on his batting. He manoeuvred the spinners with great skill and Pietersen was always a few deliveries late with his field changes. The England captain will learn with time, but his team's tactics had been strangely negative since lunch yesterday, although Sehwag's innings clearly impacted their mindset on the final day.
The closest England came to breaking the decisive stand was when Yuvraj swept at Swann and all the close fielders went up for a gloved catch. It was only the bowler who believed in the lbw shout, and replays showed it was hitting halfway up middle stump. Swann found turn and bounce, reward for giving the ball a tweak, although he had a tendency to drift too straight rather than making the batsmen drive. However, he can hold his head high after a promising debut.
Monty Panesar, on the other hand, was again hugely disappointing and remained wicketless from 27 overs while conceding nearly four an over. For the second time in three Tests, following South Africa's successful chase at Edgbaston, the pressure of a final-innings situation that should have suited him perfectly instead caused him to seize up. He was cut and pulled far too often and even when he tried to build pressure, by bowling over the wicket to Tendulkar, runs still ticked along.
Once the target was below three figures Yuvraj began to express himself by pulling Panesar for six then attacking the new ball. That had been England's last chance, but the batsmen were so well set that it barely made a difference. The belief was surging through India and Yuvraj even brought out one of his one-day specialities, clearing his front leg to launch Anderson over mid-on. This innings could be the making of him.
He offered a half chance on 55, gloving a short ball from Harmison down the leg side, but Matt Prior couldn't take it tumbling to his right, and a more clear-cut opportunity when Prior missed a leg-side stumping late on. However, by then only 20 more were needed and any chance of an England fightback had long since disappeared. This experience will be tough to take, but extenuating circumstances should allow them a greater degree of pride in their performance. Nothing, though, will take the glory away from India, and after a performance like this nothing should
Superstar Tendulkar writes the perfect script
As Graeme Swann prepared to bowl the second ball of his 29th over, more than 20,000 people in the stands abandoned their plastic chairs. They were on their feet, creating the sort of bedlam and noise I last witnessed at this very venue seven years ago, when Harbhajan Singh's squirt past point clinched the most famous of India's series victories. Swann bowled. The batsman came forward and patted the ball back with almost exaggerated flourish. The crowd was momentarily quieted but the primal scream started again as Swann went back to his mark.
Again, there was sharp turn, but the paddle-sweep that greeted the ball was emphatic. As it streaked to fine leg, the batsman ran down the pitch and punched the air in celebration, before being held aloft by his equally delighted partner. He's 35 years old and owns practically every batting record in the game, but you couldn't escape the feeling that this was probably Sachin Tendulkar's finest hour.
To score the winning runs in a record-shattering chase was special enough, but when that last stroke also brought up your 41st century, it became ineffably so. Boyhood dreams are made of this, and it says a lot about Tendulkar that he has never lost that child-like passion for the game.
Even in a world where cricket was played in isolation, this would have been a breathtaking effort. Given all that's gone on over the past three weeks though, this was so much more than just a match-winning century. Kevin Pietersen said it best after the game. "Who can write Sachin Tendulkar's scripts any better?," he asked. "The man from Mumbai came in and scored a sensational hundred. He batted like a superstar."
Those that reckon this will heal the wounds of the past don't know Tendulkar well enough though. The scabs of Barbados 1997 and Chepauk 1999 will always be there, especially given he had done so much in both games to take India towards victory. As the years passed, theories and opinions came and went, with people pointing to the absence of a defining fourth-innings knock from the Tendulkar repertoire. Brian Lara had the peerless unbeaten 153 at the Kensington Oval. What did Tendulkar have to offer as response?
An awful lot really, but those intent on nitpicking will inevitably find a way. As the afternoon progressed though, the feeling intensified that we were witnessing something extraordinary. With Pietersen not inclined to crowd the batsmen with close-in fielders, Tendulkar was more than happy to pick off the runs with a nudge here, a deflection there and the odd paddle-sweep for variety.
The contrast with Virender Sehwag couldn't have been more acute. Sehwag's 83 contained 11 singles and two twos, whereas 61 of Tendulkar's runs came in singles (45) or twos. It was a consummate innings. He defended purposefully, especially against the always menacing Andrew Flintoff, but there was no getting bogged down either. Every time there was a lull, either he or Yuvraj Singh would pierce the field.
Those that aren't Indian struggle to fathom exactly what Tendulkar means to so many millions, and it's doubtful whether even those that live here really comprehend just how much a part of the national consciousness he has become. He is such a unifying force, a personality capable of stirring the emotions in every nook and corner of a vast land
Though dehydration became a factor as the afternoon sun beat down, he continued to scamper between the wickets with the same urgency he showed as a teenager. It's that enthusiasm that's so infectious. Sitting in the stands for an hour this afternoon, there was no doubt what the only people that really matter - the fans - think of him. His every stroke was cheered as though it was a century, and the chants of "Sachin, Sachin" reverberating around were an illustration of an adulation-obsession that sport has never seen, not even when Diego Maradona was playing at La Bombanera.
Vijay is a doctor who was in Chennai on a short trip. On Sunday night, he found himself with a pass for the final day's play. With a late-afternoon train to catch, he wasn't sure whether to go or not. There was another reason for his hesitancy too. Like millions of other sports fans who have been scarred by defeat, Vijay was afraid that he might jinx his team and his favourite player. But after watching the first session on television, he decided to take his chances.
Over the next three-and-a-half hours, he didn't leave his seat, not even for food and water at tea time. He made his train with 10 minutes to spare. "I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself if I had given it a miss," he messaged me later.
Those that aren't Indian struggle to fathom exactly what Tendulkar means to so many millions, and it's doubtful whether even those that live here really comprehend just how much a part of the national consciousness he has become. He is such a unifying force, a personality capable of stirring the emotions in every nook and corner of a vast land. And in these times of distress and anger, it was so very appropriate that it would be Tendulkar who put the smiles back on at least a few faces.
Again, there was sharp turn, but the paddle-sweep that greeted the ball was emphatic. As it streaked to fine leg, the batsman ran down the pitch and punched the air in celebration, before being held aloft by his equally delighted partner. He's 35 years old and owns practically every batting record in the game, but you couldn't escape the feeling that this was probably Sachin Tendulkar's finest hour.
To score the winning runs in a record-shattering chase was special enough, but when that last stroke also brought up your 41st century, it became ineffably so. Boyhood dreams are made of this, and it says a lot about Tendulkar that he has never lost that child-like passion for the game.
Even in a world where cricket was played in isolation, this would have been a breathtaking effort. Given all that's gone on over the past three weeks though, this was so much more than just a match-winning century. Kevin Pietersen said it best after the game. "Who can write Sachin Tendulkar's scripts any better?," he asked. "The man from Mumbai came in and scored a sensational hundred. He batted like a superstar."
Those that reckon this will heal the wounds of the past don't know Tendulkar well enough though. The scabs of Barbados 1997 and Chepauk 1999 will always be there, especially given he had done so much in both games to take India towards victory. As the years passed, theories and opinions came and went, with people pointing to the absence of a defining fourth-innings knock from the Tendulkar repertoire. Brian Lara had the peerless unbeaten 153 at the Kensington Oval. What did Tendulkar have to offer as response?
An awful lot really, but those intent on nitpicking will inevitably find a way. As the afternoon progressed though, the feeling intensified that we were witnessing something extraordinary. With Pietersen not inclined to crowd the batsmen with close-in fielders, Tendulkar was more than happy to pick off the runs with a nudge here, a deflection there and the odd paddle-sweep for variety.
The contrast with Virender Sehwag couldn't have been more acute. Sehwag's 83 contained 11 singles and two twos, whereas 61 of Tendulkar's runs came in singles (45) or twos. It was a consummate innings. He defended purposefully, especially against the always menacing Andrew Flintoff, but there was no getting bogged down either. Every time there was a lull, either he or Yuvraj Singh would pierce the field.
Those that aren't Indian struggle to fathom exactly what Tendulkar means to so many millions, and it's doubtful whether even those that live here really comprehend just how much a part of the national consciousness he has become. He is such a unifying force, a personality capable of stirring the emotions in every nook and corner of a vast land
Though dehydration became a factor as the afternoon sun beat down, he continued to scamper between the wickets with the same urgency he showed as a teenager. It's that enthusiasm that's so infectious. Sitting in the stands for an hour this afternoon, there was no doubt what the only people that really matter - the fans - think of him. His every stroke was cheered as though it was a century, and the chants of "Sachin, Sachin" reverberating around were an illustration of an adulation-obsession that sport has never seen, not even when Diego Maradona was playing at La Bombanera.
Vijay is a doctor who was in Chennai on a short trip. On Sunday night, he found himself with a pass for the final day's play. With a late-afternoon train to catch, he wasn't sure whether to go or not. There was another reason for his hesitancy too. Like millions of other sports fans who have been scarred by defeat, Vijay was afraid that he might jinx his team and his favourite player. But after watching the first session on television, he decided to take his chances.
Over the next three-and-a-half hours, he didn't leave his seat, not even for food and water at tea time. He made his train with 10 minutes to spare. "I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself if I had given it a miss," he messaged me later.
Those that aren't Indian struggle to fathom exactly what Tendulkar means to so many millions, and it's doubtful whether even those that live here really comprehend just how much a part of the national consciousness he has become. He is such a unifying force, a personality capable of stirring the emotions in every nook and corner of a vast land. And in these times of distress and anger, it was so very appropriate that it would be Tendulkar who put the smiles back on at least a few faces.
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