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Leeds: Sourav Ganguly isn’t the only one superstitious. Now, the entire team has been influenced by the captain. So much so that a team dinner, to celebrate India’s biggest win overseas, got scrapped Monday.
“Well, everyone decided not to go out collectively... After all, we did that in Bulawayo, Kandy and Trinidad... Celebrated our victories there, but each time, lost the very next Test. This time, then, we decided to put everything on hold till The Oval,” Sourav told The Telegraph Tuesday, before the team’s departure for Derby.
[India won the Bulawayo Test by eight wickets (Shiv Sundar Das MoM), the one in Kandy by seven wickets (Sourav MoM) and Trinidad by 37 runs (V.V.S. Laxman MoM). Yet, the ones immediately after each victory — Harare, Colombo and Barbados — ended in disaster.]
Speaking on the morning after India’s finest hour overseas, Sourav emotionally remarked: “I’m absolutely thrilled... Perhaps, I didn’t give that impression right after we won, but I’m actually so thrilled... How often do we see such convincing wins? Then, what’s remarkable is that everybody played a part. A captain can’t ask for more.”
That, indeed, is correct. It’s the collective effort from Team India which made the difference — with even the unheralded Sanjay Bangar contributing big. Yet, as Sourav quickly reminded, “the job isn’t over.”
Of course, it’s comforting that The Oval is known to favour spinners — Shane Warne, Phil Tufnell and Muttiah Muralidharan will confirm that — but, nothing, is being taken for granted. Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh’s hunger, though, should increase.
In just two Tests, by the way, Kumble has emerged joint highest wickettaker in the series — with 13, he is at par with Matthew Hoggard, who has played all three matches.
“Looking back, yes, it’s a regret I didn’t field both Anil and Bhajji at Lord’s... It’s possible we wouldn’t then have ended up losing. But, then, nobody expected the wicket to turn so much. We all learn from experience...” Sourav, who never quite gets the credit he deserves, observed.
[Only Kumble played at Lord’s, alongside three seamers: Zaheer Khan, Ajit Agarkar and Ashish Nehra.]
Despite the huge (innings plus 46-run) victory at Headingley, Sourav still regards the stunning win over Australia at the Eden as the best of his 11 victories as captain. “That was incredible... Trailing by 274 on the first innings and, then, not losing a wicket an entire day... Here, we were in command right through. It wasn’t so at the Eden...”
More than anything else, the Headingley win has proved that the balance must always be right. Full marks, therefore, to Sourav and coach John Wright for exercising the Bangar-option. Now, the ball is in Bangar’s court to be consistent and, thereby, provide the thinktank room to manoeuvre.
Incidentally, MoM Rahul Dravid is now the series’ No.1 run-getter. With a total of 385 (77.00 average), the Indian vice-captain is 12 runs in front of Michael Vaughan. Sachin Tendulkar has 347, while Sourav is exactly on 300. The only other Englishman in the 300-plus list is captain Nasser Hussain (305).
Dravid, though, isn’t one to ever go overboard. “I’m very happy I could contribute in the best manner possible... It’s great we won, but this series isn’t over,” he pointed out. For Dravid, life isn’t changing right now, but it could after The Oval.
Board’s no to Joshi, Bahutule
Meanwhile, the Board has turned down a request from the team management to either allow Sunil Joshi and Sairaj Bahutule (playing in the Yorkshire league) to turn out in the three-dayer versus Derbyshire, beginning Wednesday, or to release two U-19 bowlers.
The request, obviously, was made to allow all frontline bowlers a break before the decider at The Oval (from September 5).
While the XI hasn’t exactly been finalised, Sourav won’t be playing. Sachin, Kumble and Zaheer Khan may also rest. Then, young Parthiv Patel is still in some pain. So, he has to be counted out.
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