Fading light denies India? Give a break!

The headlines in ‘’the day after media’’ should have been that it is high time to be bold if we want to be what Australia are. Gavaskar and Imran Khan hold the same opinion.

It is said that if you want to achieve something really badly, nature conspires to give you that. After showing so much resolve, Pakistan desperately needed a draw in the match where they had fought with their backs to the wall, and India wanted to ensure that the hosts did not give Pakistan any chance to level the series. Both got their wish in the end! In the same way as India had got good weather in the 1st test against England with last wicket pair on strike.

Fading light denies India, or some thing similar. This is how the headlines appeared in most newspapers on Thursday morning after India narrowly missed winning the Bangalore Test.

However, it needed former skipper Sunil Gavaskar to point out in a column that it was the late declaration which was responsible for India’s failure to make it count at Bangalore. He says ‘’on such pitches, there was no way Pakistan would have got even 250 but batting for so long India did not give themselves enough overs to bowl Pakistan out’’. (Related Link http://atulsondhi.blogspot.com/2007/12/india-end-contest-with-48-overs-to-go.html)

Of course, the fourth series win against Pakistan in history -- the same number as Pakistan has achieved against India -- should please us but Gavaskar begs to differ a little and believes that it is the main difference between India and Australia.

Australia would have never been satisfied with such result on this pitch while in India there is a tendency to ‘’sit on laurels and not look for more glory.’’

Former Pak Coach Javed Miandad says ''No doubt it was a comprehensive win for India, but one should not expect a miracle in Australia going by this performance''.

Imran was on telly yesterday night, expressing same opinion. (Related Link http://atulsondhi.blogspot.com/2007/12/imran-criticises-late-declaration.html)