Calcutta: Hashim Amla returned a tragic hero at Eden Gardens on Thursday. For 499 minutes and 394 balls, he defied the Indians in the second innings and finally returned unconquered for 123. South Africa lost, but he won hearts.
The jury didn’t have to spend much time on deciding the Man of the Match and Man of the Series — 490 runs in three innings at an average of 490.00!
Amla was solid against pace and spin alike. He read the length so early that he could play most of the stuff off the back foot.
Like most subcontinent players, he played with soft hands and never used his pads against the spinners.
He, however, survived a close leg before call, when on 73, against Harbhajan Singh.
Amla, the first South African of Indian descent — his grandparents migrated from Gujarat — to make the national side said he was fortunate to have got his chance.
“Every professional cricketer goes through certain tours and series where they excel. I have just been fortunate that this tour has been my opportunity,” said Amla.
“Things have worked for me on the field. Dropped catches really helped my cause… I think I have been quite fortunate on quite a few occasions, without doubt.
“If a few dropped catches had been taken here and there, I could have been dismissed earlier,” he said.
Amla said he followed a simple batting philosophy.
“When at the back of your mind you know you have to bat a whole day, breaking it down is the key... Ball by ball, over by over, it’s just the basics.
“There is no science to it… I just wanted to keep it simple,” Amla explained.
He also hailed the efforts of Morne Morkel (22) and Wayne Parnell (12), who were the other two pillars of South African resistance in the second innings, who thwarted the Indian bowlers for quite a long time.
“I took a lot of confidence from Morne and Parnell.
“Both told me that they were comfortable at the other end. It made by job a lot easier in trying to find the strike,” Amla said.
“I just loved the experience…
“The intensity of the series was really fantastic. We all enjoyed it,” he said.
