From Gallows to Glory

For a person with just casual acquaintance with cricket, the recent test series against Australia can broadly be divided into four phases

Australian dominance
In the first test at Melbourne, the Australians were all over us and the way they had fielded and bowled, it looked the end of the world for India.

Though former Australian skipper Ian chappell praised the Indians for not allowing the Australians run up to really huge totals in excess of 500, India batsmen let down their bowlers by failing to cross even 200 in any of its innings . The massive 337 run defeat thanks to inept batting in both the innings was something India could have done without. The challengers looked just another of those hopeless pretenders to the Australian crown.

Indian fight back strangulated by Umpires
Bucknor justifiably got the axe after Sydney but the damage had been done with Australia 2-0 up. India could at best draw the series now.

Contrast this with day one when Australia were reeling at 134 for six. It was a glorious opportunity indeed, but Bucknor saw no edge, heard no edge. And when Indians batted in their second innings, again he saw what he wanted to see. Not to mention that he had an ably ally in Benson.

After Sydney collapse, everything looked doomed. Glenn McGrath even predicted a 0-4 whitewash, and for once no one really disagreed with the Australian great. The Indians looked too demoralized despite winning the battle for removal of Bucknor, and a suspended sentence on Harbhajan. They were, after all, headed for Perth, where no visiting team had won in last ten years. To fans, Indian team heading back home after racism controversy was not such a bad idea after all.

Inspired selections help India claw back
The entry of Sehwag, Irfan, and Kumble winning the toss turned the form book upside down at Perth. Sehwag ensured a solid start, Irfan delivered with both bat and ball, and Indian fielding looked like coming to terms with the vastness of the Australian fields. Hunters, for once, looked hunted as unthinkable happened at Perth. For a moment, it looked even better than Kolkatta 2001, even though both are incomparable, landmark wins.

Honours even
India may have lost 1-2 after drawing at Adelaide, but the honours can only be said to be even at the end of such a grueling campaign. They made Australia crawl and suffer on the first three days, so much so that their scoring rate became a matter of fun for Sehwag. And then he rubbed it in with an excellent, match saving knock of 150 plus.

Considering the arena, the circumstances, and some shoddy umpiring, the Indians can celebrate tonight as if they have won a series. After all, it could also have been 0-4!