Kyun Itna tum Muskara rahe ho (Why are you smiling so much!)

Just before tea on the second day at Bangalore, cameras focused on an unsuspecting Shoaib Akhtar, smiling away to glory. Probably it was his frustration masquerading as smile, and was telecast to the millions of TV viewers the world over.

The Commentator on Neo Hindi fittingly said, 'hans rahein hain par hansne jaisi koi baat nahin hai' (He is laughing but there is nothing to laugh about).

Another symbolic moment was when Sourav Ganguly was dismissed, losing the ball completely as it flattened his stumps. Usually we see a keeper jumping in elation whatever be the score or the situation. However, here Akmal just raised his hand, surprised that Ganguly was finally out! It was too good (or too late!) to be true.

Poor Pakistanis. Second time in succession they are faced with a score of over 600. Winning is out of question so they can only give a helpless smile. After losing their way so badly, the only challenge left for them is to give their best and see if they can prevent a 2-0 mauling.

Another problem they have is that they do not have too many left-handers. And only left-handers seem to be doing well in this match!

These Pakistanis do have the grit but miracles usually do not happen twice.

Do not get too carried away by Yuvraj's form (followed by a silly law which deserves to be changed)

Certainly it was a tremendous 169 which catapulted India to a position at Bangalore where the worst thing that can happen to them is a draw.

Certainly it was a knock played under extreme duress; with India reeling at 61 for 4 and Pakistan threatening to finish them well under 150 or 200.

Certainly, he could be the most talented batsman in recent times never to have got his due.

But do not get carried away by Yuvraj’s display today and try and force his inclusion at the cost of Dravid, Tendulkar, Ganguly or Laxman. At least not till the Australian tour is over.

Yuvraj has been a tremendous performer on the subcontinent pitches, and that too just against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Before the innings of 169, two of his hundreds and three fifties had come only against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. He was averaging 57 from six Tests against Pakistan with two hundreds and a fifty, and 51 against Sri Lanka with two fifties.

Against other opponents, Yuvraj has never been able to average more than 25 runs per innings, and that has been disappointing even considering the fact that he never had a secure place in the test team.

Against Australia, Yuvraj has just 47 runs from two tests, against England 64 from two, against New Zealand 25 from one match, against the West Indies 104 runs from four matches and against Zimbabwe, 37 from two.

He is one of the few top class batsmen, who has played 15 tests and over 100 ODIs, with ODI average at 37 being more than the test average (33).

So do not get carried away. Praise his knock but do remember his record against other opposition, outside the subcontinent, and the two chances he got yesterday.

This talented batsman does deserve a place, but only if Dravid consents to open the innings on the Australian tour. He should certainly not be in at the cost of any of the big four in test playing eleven in the Australian tour. That will put so much pressure on him.


A Silly Law which deserves to be changed

If the Indian batsmen have not killed the match for Pakistan, a silly law today put the expiry stamp on Pakistan chances.

Pakistan pace spearhead Shoaib Akhtar was in genuine discomfort yesterday as he missed most of the final two sessions to go for an MRI Scan.

Now, he will have to wait for nearly three and a half hours to bowl today (Equivalent to the time he was away from the field) as per the law which does not distinguish between genuine injury and a faked one to take rest.

High time to make some changes in the law. Or at least the high time to recognize the spirit of the law. You can’t always go by the printed lines alone, and kill the prospects of some enthralling cricket.

A harmless query for Younis

Why did you do it it Younis! or rather, what did you do skipper!!

You allowed Shoaib to carry you on his back, as was prominently displayed in pictures today.

And today, he has gone to hospital for an MRI for back pain even as Pakistan fights a grim battle!

How come the burden was too much for your main bowler!!

Now we know why you were smiling so much in the picture. In the Land of Kumble, you were the real smiling assassin!!!

(Caution: It is purely in jest)

Tremendous recovery by India (They ended the day at 365 for five)

Second Session Brief -- India 192 for four

Yuvraj and Sourav are doing exactly what Dhoni-Laxman did at Kotla in the 1st test. Accumulating runs without worrying too much about the situation and the circumstances.

In that match, Dhoni and Laxman had staged a tremendous recovery from 93 for five in India's first innings and that partnership had helped India better a modest Pak total. And today, just when it looked that India were in deep trouble at 65 for four at lunch after opting to bat, Sourav-Yuvraj unbeaten partnership of over hundred runs in the second session took the hosts to the position of relative safety at tea time.

Of course, a dropped chance and a missed run out of Yuvraj, when India had not reached even 100 runs, did not help the Pakistan cause. But the Indians won't mind for sure!

Still, the last thing Indians will do is to become complacent. Just one wicket can start a procession and hand over the initiative to Pakistan, as we have seen so often in the past.

(the complete scorecared in rediff at the end of play http://imsports.rediff.com/score/in_match8528.html)

Khurafati (Troublesome) Arafat!

1st session of Bangalore

Whatever happens today, on the 1st day of Bangalore Test, Pakistan have proved that the momentum is on their side now. That is unless India go on to get past 250 with four-five wickets intact today.

And that has all been thanks to the new comer Yasir Arafat. The debutant's three wickets in a space of just seventeen runs meant India, after electing to bat, were precariously placed at 65 for four at lunch, fighting for survial.

At 44 for one with Gambhir gone early to Sami, India looked to have weathered the initial storm before Arafat brought one to bounce a little extra and Dravid, trying to attack, just managed to find the waiting hands of Misbah in the 1st slip.

Then Jaffer expected an outswinger and offered no shot. The ball cut in sharply, hit the pads, and up went the finger of Simon Tauffel. India were 51 for 3.

And if that was not bad enough, India's most reliable middle order batsman in the series, VVS Laxman, was done in by the low bounce to a straightish delivery. It took the bottom edge of his bat and disturbed the stumps.

Pakistan's momentum continues, and in what a great fashion!

Why Captaincy destroys life

When Younis Khan says such thing, one has to take the Pakistan captain seriously. A top performer but a reluctant skipper, he does know what it takes to captain India or Pakistan.

Public is the first to pouch on the beleaguered skipper scrutinising his every move. Probably the reason Sachin Tendulkar ‘refused’ Indian captaincy for the third time. Even those who can not differentiate a square cut from a fortuitous edge through the slip, or Long leg from Long on, are the first to comment on the any ‘flawed moves by the skipper.

Then there is media, hell bent upon vilifying the skipper after every loss, without looking into any positives. Rahul Dravid can surely testify to that. His Test series win in England after a good 21 years was overshadowed by just one move of not enforcing the follow on (taken only after consulting the seniors and his bowling colleagues), which allowed England to wriggle out of the Indian web at Oval. Not surprisingly, when he resigned, he said every captain must realize that he has a shelf life.

And then the selectors. These guys have to show from time to time that who is the boss. Especially when they send replacements for the overseas tours, and needlessly meddle with the team affairs when Captain, always in the line of fire, should be allowed to have his say. Younis was justifiably anguished by the inclusion of an unfit Shoaib Akhtar in the team, something which had stalled the Pakistan challenge on the very first day of the Kolkatta test.

So a captain is always under mental pressure and Sunil Gavaskar rightly, though half-jokingly, had said on the ESPN that some of his grey hair had gone black after he had relinquished the captaincy of the Indian Cricket Team!

Will Sachin sit out?

Sachin will definitely not like it, especially after such tremendous show against the arch-rivals, but there is a grim possibility that India will have to take on a resurgent Pakistan without their star middle order batsman. He seems to have aggravated his knee injury over the last few days.

After two pace bowlers, Munaf and Zaheer, were sent dispatching from the squad, if Dhoni and Sachin do not play, it will certainly make the hosts underdog against the neighbours.

In this situation, Dhoni might be forced to forget his ankle injury and play to ensure that the list of new entrants to the batting lineup is restricted only to Yuvraj Singh.

Here is a link to the detailed report in Cricketnext.com.
http://cricketnext.com/news/tendulkar-injured-not-to-play-third-test/28206-13.html

Will he, or Won't he...But Younis certainly deserves better treatment from PCB

Younis never wanted to be a lame duck captain. So refused captaincy before. At Kolkatta, circumstances forced him to become one even as a partially fit Shoaib Akhtar was thrust on him.

Now, after a superb rearguard action at Kolkatta by Pak, with a brilliant century by the stand in skipper being the Jewel in the Crown, if Younis Khan wants to have his own team in this 'gallow or glory battle', then what is wrong in it.

None of the PCB office bearers is ever going to resign if Pakistan fail to win Bangalore test. Even their selectors, at best, will opt for some new faces. So what’s wrong if Younis wants to fight a battle with his own hand-picked men.

If will be a pity if he is dropped as captain in favour of someone like Misbah, who is yet to prove his credentials in all conditions notwithstanding whatever Rameez Raja says about him.

Pak media manager may claim that there is no truth in the reports that Younis does not want to lead but the signs of turmoil were already there when Younis had written about the controversial inclusion of Akhtar in Kolkatta test, even as Pakistan were battling to save the test.

Now he, or his well wishers, have used some friendly journalist to convey the message that all is not well.

Well done, Younis!

Areas Openers must take care of, and Vengsarkar is India's Don

MEDIA WATCH, December 7

A very interesting article by Rohit Mahajan in The Hindustan Times quoting Javagal Srinath about the technique of four potential openers for the Australian tour.

Right now, we will talk about the chinks in their armour, which Srinath talked about in the piece.

Wasim Jaffer: Plays too many strokes when in groove. Should pace his innings better

Gautam Gambhir: Compulsive puller. He needs to handle the short stuff well in Australia because that is one area he will be targeted in.

Dinesh Kaarthik: Balls outside the off stump are a problem right now. He lives on scoring runs and gets under pressure whenever it is curbed. Australia need patience.

Aakash Chopra: Compact but Over defensive. If gets opportunity for Australia, he has to take care of this aspect of his batting.

Interesting analysis and who can give it better than an opening bowler, who has a first hand experience of dealing with the openers, and the Australian conditions. But about Chopra, one must say that he was overdefensive because that was said to be his brief with Sehwag always on rampage at the other end.

In the Times of India, Pradeep Vijayakar makes interesting comparison of Don Bradman with Dilip Vengsarkar. But it is not about their qualities as players, but as writers. Both were in trouble about their contract for writing columns.

But while Don, as player, had his contract for writing amicably terminated, Vengsarkar, as chief selector, is still writing and selecting. How the problem is solved will be seen in the coming days. Don opted to write because he was not sure if he would be selected in the touring party, while Vengsarkar should be in a position to terminate his contract anytime if Board does not want a columnist as selector.

Meanwhile, Writing his column in The Hindu, Anil Kumble expressed his concern about injuries to the pace department. ‘’Yet I am hopeful that the players who have some minor injuries will be better in quick time,’’ he writes.

But like a gritty customer that he is, Kumble did say that the important thing is to get the best out of whatever you have.

Well, that is the mindset that the Indian captain is famous for. A mind which does not allow too many doubts to creep in whatever be the quality of arsenal at his disposal.

As Pak Prepare for Critical Bangalore battle.....

Shoaib Malik's absence could be blessing in disguise

What could be a distressing news for the Pakistan middle order, may have some silver lining after all.

Younis Khan led from the front in the match against India at Kolkatta, and deserves to lead the side for the series saving third Test.

Considering Pakistan’s chances at Bangalore should be good, as traditionally they have dominated at this ground, they would not really like to tamper with the new think tank headed by Younis Khan.

Below is the link to a story on Shoaib's injury in Rediff.
http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2007/dec/06malik.htm

If one recalls, Pakistan had won the Final Bangalore Test under Inzamam-ul-Haq to level the 2005 series against all odds. They could be itching to do it once again after such a gritty display at Kolkatta.
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gsG9ZKnS5MB9e50zRd6TEbMGTZQQ

1992 Cricket World Cup could have eluded Pakistan

It was always known that various Pakistan superstars, including Imran Khan and Javed Miandad, had serious difference in the late eighties and early nineties, but the new revelations take the cake.

If a Miandad's interview is to be believed, the Pakistan Winning Campaign in the 1992 World Cup was almost spiked by these differences. In fact, Miandad calls it revolt.

It may be recalled that Miandad had played critical innings both in semifinal and final to take Pakistan to the World Cup victory.

Here is a link to the story

http://ibnlive.com/news/imran-survived-mutiny-before-92-wc-bounty-miandad/53698-5.html

ICL is the right destination for Kaif

Better late than never.

Something which Kaif should have thought of immediately after India's win in the Twenty20 World Cup, he is toying with now. That is joining the rebel cricket league -- the ICL.

That cataclysmic event in September had temporarily left question mark over the future of many seniors, what to talk of test and ODI discard Kaif, who seems to be having his best years behind him.

If one remembers, just before the sulking Australians (After losing the Twenty20 semifinal to India) had landed here, there were talks of having a completely young side to take on the Aussie. And it was only some splendid performances by Sachin and a reasonable show by Sourav, which had revived the faith in the seniors.

Now, the fact that he is not even among the probables for the Australian tour should ring the warning bells for Kaif. He has not played an ODI since November 29, 2006 (against South Africa), and test after the summer series against the West Indies last year. Though there have been comebacks before, most notably by Murali Karthik, in Kaif's case it looks highly unlikely with so many batsmen vying for the middle order place.

Kaif's average of 32 from 125 ODIs is still decent, but Indian cricket, when it looks for a change, will opt for fresh set of players -- the likes of Rohit Sharma.

With ICL looking to be an acceptable alternative after first few matches, it will only be prudent for the likes of Kaif to look forward, rather than hoping for something which may never materialise.

Akhtar Must Fire But.....

Media Watch -- Dec 6

Possibly the best captain Pakistan ever had, Imran Khan says in a column today that ‘’if Pakistan want to square this series, the man who simply must perform in Bangalore is Shoaib Akhtar.’’

With Pakistan taking just 13 wickets in last three Indian innings, Imran could not be more on target. Akhtar along with Yo-Yo are critical to Pakistan chances in the series.

In what promises to be his last Test series on the Indian soil, Akhtar will be eager to showcase his class but right now it looks that the speedster is toying more with the idea of bowling a maiden out (In a movie), than the Indian batsmen (on the field).

The glitch. Its money honey. As per a Hindustan Times report, he has been offered one crore, but Akhtar has been looking at a rather larger sum of 8 crore. This is something only the top five men command in Indian Movies. The Times of India has come up with the name of the movie as well. Predictably, it is Main aur Meri Himmat!.

Selection Tangle

Meanwhile, the lead story in all the papers today was selection tangle with many media reports describing the selection of 24 probables, just about two weeks before the Australian tour takes off, as an absurdity.

However, injuries to pacers and the fact that selectors are not still convinced about the opening partners of Jaffer were described as a major reason for the delay. According to an Indian Express report, quoting a top Board official, ‘’it is felt that since Vengsarkar's future as chairman is not clear, the finalizing of the tour party was delayed’’.

Chappell liked VRV

It needs courage to say so today but VRV has said it. ‘’After he took over, we had a bowlers’ camp and somehow he (Chappell) liked me,’’ says VRV.

‘’One thing is for sure, he did what he believed in. He believed in youth and we got a taste of international cricket,’’ says VRV in an interview to the Times of India, though he was sensible enough not to go into any controversial aspects of Chappell tenure.

Australia bound team will miss character!

A Character, to be precise!

Well, mercurial and temperamental Sreesanth is not among the Australia bound probables so anyone in India or down under, hoping to see another Symonds-Sreesanth tussle will be in for disappointment.

Also, Australian skipper Ricky Ponting will have no chance of assessing if Sreesanth's aggression was real, or fake!

Virender Sehwag, such a prolific score on the Last tour in 2003-04, too does not find favour with the selectors. However, Aakash Chopra does find a place, and could well get a ticket to Australia along with Gautam Gambhir, considering his solid show in domestic cricket of late.

Here is the list of Probables for the Australia tour. Anil Kumble (captain), MS Dhoni (WK and Vice Captain), Wasim Jaffer, Dinesh Karthik (WK), Gautam Gambhir , Rahul Dravid, Harbhajan Singh, Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly, Vangipurappu Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Irfan Pathan, Ishant Sharma, VRV Singh, Murali Kartik,Zaheer Khan, RP Singh, Munaf Patel, Ranadeb Bose, Pankaj Singh, Piyush Chawla, Ajit Agarkar, Parthiv Patel, Akash Chopra.

Hyderabad Hero still a villian for Police

It is a scandal that refuses to go away. Recently Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin, a high-profile name in 2000 match fixing scandal, had to face insult in Kolkatta from organisers who chose to omit his records from souvenir booklet. And then an official of the ICC Anti Corruption body objected to the beleaguered former captain talking to Indian players.

And now Delhi Police has given notice to South African Nicky Boje, playing for Hyderabad Heroes in ICL, that he should make himself available for investigation in the seven-year-old scam

Poor Boje. Fined and banned before by King's commission in South Africa, is now in India to earn some much deserved money, he may have thought his ordeal was over. But then law is law.

Below is the full text of the story.

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtvcricket/cricketstory.aspx?id=SPOEN20070034985

Thanks Gary, Thanks Colonel!

Hats off to you two guys. You have indeed saved the Indian cricket by your timely, friendly, pronouncements.

Gary, you by formally consenting to become the coach of the Indian team to the Indian channels. Vengsarkar, you by kindly consenting to be part of the selectors meeting.

Indeed, the Indian cricket many have won a World Cup without a foreign coach and lost one with him, they still needed one to get the respect of the cricketing world, and serve some Board insiders' interests.

So what that the Test series against England, Bangladesh, and now possibly Pakistan, were won without a foreigner at the helm!
And why should we criticize Kirsten for joining the team after only March one. Is not it unprofessional, if not inhuman, to send a coaching novice on his first assignment with an Australia bound team. He will definitely prove his mettle against the lesser mortals.

And dear Vengsarkar. You have been kind enough to, should I say ‘rejoin’, the Indian Selection Committee in the interest of the Indian cricket.

Though how the interests of the Indian cricket can be served is quite debatable and different people may have different opinion on it, still your kindness cannot be questioned. Potentially sacrificing 40 lakh, which shows that the print media is not as poor as compared to its electronic counterparts, is a huge sacrifice, for which you deserve a big pat on the back.

Thanks again Gary. And Thanks so much Colonel. You are the true saviours.

One dimesional cricket becomes boring

That is what the cricket at Kolkatta was if one is to go by the statement of Imran Khan in a live link to an Indian channel.

The former Pakistan captain said the ideal wicket should have something for the pace bowlers as well as spinners, but there was hardly anything for the pace bowlers which made it one-dimensional.

After witnessing another of great shows by Misbah, he also wondered why Misbah, now 33, never got a chance despite splendid performances in the domestic circuit even as Pakistan middle order continued to be fragile for so long.

Imran also told NDTV that the two problems facing Pakistan were the erratic keeping of Kamran Akmal, and the inability of Shoaib Malik to unquestionably cement his place in the Pakistan team.

When chips are down, the captain has to perform to earn the respect of the seniors, he said.

If one sees his recent records, well, this is something Shoaib has not been able to do regularly, losing his moral authority in the process.

Can Pakistan do the unthinkable!!!

Two sessions remain in a match where only three of the previous 13 have produced three wickets or more. Can Pakistan do the unthinkable and lose their next nine wickets, and the series!

After a convincing first session display by Pakistan in Kolkatta on the fifth day, if they do manage to lose to the guile of Harbhajan and Kumble today, that will make it 12 wickets in a day in Kolkatta Test. Just imagine, previous four days saw just 17 batsmen being dismissed.

This kind of collapse has happened to Australia at Kolkatta before, but in March 2001 they had been punctured by Laxman-Dravid jodi, and were still looking for a win in the first two sessions on the final day . On the other hand, Pakistan should be buoyed by the resistance of Misbah, Akmal and Sami. Their graph is on the rise in the series and they must not squander it on a pitch described as abattoir of bowlers by Javed Miandad

Even Wasim Akram writes that ''good pitches yield great contest. But the one at Kolkatta has belied that expectations because the pitch has become useless.''

He feels that playing on these tracks will not help India’s preparation for Australia.

If Pak do lose on this track, they better pack up and go home. The Indian fans want a fighting Pakistan side, not a side that surrenders even when the going is good.

Mr Kumble, get ready for some criticism!

If India fails to win Kolkatta test despite completely dominating the first seven sessions, which does look a reality after a tremendous fight back by Pakistan, do expect some criticism of Kumble’s captaincy. Did not that happen to Dravid after India failed to win Oval test despite enforcing the follow on!

‘’I think Sunday was the first real test of Kumble’s captaincy and, unfortunately, he did not fare too well,’’ says Waqar Younis in a newspaper column, refereeing to easing up of pressure after Pak were reduced to 150 for five.

The former Pak paceman would like Kumble to be ‘’little more active’’ in shuffling of bowlers.

Former skipper Miandad too says that Kumble ought to have rotated his bowlers more effectively when Misbah and Akmal were batting so well.

Hopefully, the criticism will be mild as Kumble is just two tests into captaincy, and has shown more maturity than many other Indian captains at this stage.

Also, dropped catches – one each of Akmal and Sami – at critical stages were as important in preventing India from enforcing the follow on as Kumble's ‘’inability’’ to rotate the bowlers effectively.

Muralitharan sole World Record holder for 3rd Time

Tremendous achievement by an Asian bowler. With so much of cricket in its various forms played nowadays, it looks impossible that someone will go on to break his record as highest test wickettaker. At least it won't happen in our lifetime.

The first time Murali held the record was at Harare in 2004, when he bettered Courtney Walsh's 519 wickets. He became the first spinner after Lance Gibbs to hold the record.

The second time was under peculiar circumstances when he and Warne were both on 527 wickets. Martin Van Jaarsveld became Murali's 528th wicket at Galle, making him the sole World Record holder in August 2004, but this accomplishment lasted for just two months.

And now, after a wait of three years, Murali has again got the record with Paul Collingwood being his 709th victim.

Whatever Bedi and others may say about the legitimacy of his action, the Sri Lanka great deserves all the accolades for his tremendous accomplishment. An achievement which may never be bettered.

3.3 Lakh per month is a big sum!

Forty lakh per year, if Vengsarkar is indeed getting it, is a big sum for writing columns. Worth spurning any honorary job in the World! After all, 3.3 lakh per month is an income which 99.9 per cent of Indian households can only dream of.

The way the things have gone of late, it look unlikely that BCCI will budge form its stand of not paying compensation to Vengsarkar. That will leave the super-selector with just one way out.

Vengsarkar's predecessor Kiran More, in NDTV's Cricket Controversies programme on Sunday, said that if he were in Vengsarkar's place, he would have resigned (rather than offering to resign) after all the controversies including BCCI directive to him to select team on phone. Though he also said that BCCI was not in wrong in asking him not to write columns.

As per media reports, the BCCI is already considering few other names as chief selector, including Borde's. Now the ball is in Vengsarkar's court. With his brief tenure marred by so many mishaps, including run-ins with former skipper Dravid, he must have a quick rethink on where his priorities lie.

Vengsarkar the columnist will surely have a more peaceful life than Vengsarkar the chief selector.

Battle sure to end in a draw

As we predicted two days ago, the battle between Pakistan and India at Kolkatta may have come to a premature end -- all thanks to a supremely docile pitch.

It is quite clear by lunch on the fourth day, with Pakistan managing to avoid follow on, that this match will almost surely end in a draw.

If we take the ten sessions so far of this match, only one has produced more than one wicket. And that was the pre-lunch session on the third day when Pakistan lost four wickets. Two of the remaining nine sessions have gone wicketless while seven have produced just one wicket each.

The point is, what is the point in producing such pitches in times when results take precedence over processes. It is such a waste of time to see such meaningless matches where teams keep on piling runs at the expense of hapless bowlers.

Hopefully, the bowlers will get some of their lost pride back in the next five sessions. But result still looks an impossibility.

Which battle you would love to watch -- India-Pak or England-Sri Lanka

At one point when flipping channels, one saw five wickets down for both India and Sri Lanka.

But while Sri Lanka were battling it out at less than 100 for five against England at Kandy, India had accumulated more than 500 at Kolkatta.

Now which match, as neutral spectator, would you like to watch. The one where bowlers are mauled, or the one which gives everybody equal chance.

Geoffrey Boycott may have mooted the idea of holding day and night matches to entice more viewers, but the problem mostly boils down to sporting pitches.

What one saw at Kolkatta is enough to put one to sleep. And it was not just the quality of the opposition bowling attack. Such pitches which make the side winning the toss dominate so much, are certainly no good for test cricket.

Viewers might refuse to watch even day night matches if such batting paradises make the bowling hell for the fielding side, and viewing nightmarish for the fans.

Jaffer's tremendous 202

It was a double century worth its weight in gold. The best thing about this knock was that nearly 2 out of every three runs that came from Jaffer’s blade were scored off the onside, which showed the inability of the Pakistan bowlers to bowl a controlled length to him. In fact, nearly one in three of his runs came off the mid-wicket region.

Also the fact the Jaffer scored less than ten runs from third man and fineleg areas, showed he was in full control of his shots most of the time.

No wonder, he went on to play the third highest innings at Eden. The best has been Laxman’s epic 281 against Australia six years ago. Rohan Kanhai made 256 for the West Indies against India in 1958-59.

In fact, his 192 on day one were also the third highest by an Indian in a day's play. Sehwag occupies the top two places. The knocks are his 228 on way to 309 against Pak at Multan, and 195 on day one of Melbourne test in 2003-04 series.

No star is bigger than the team

If a bowler is even slightly unfit, he simply does not deserve a place in the team. Pakistan realized that to their peril on the 1st day. If your mainline bowlers can’t even bowl ten overs in a day, that speaks volumes not only about the think-tank, but also about the quality of bowling at a side’s disposal.

Probably Akhtar did not want his commitment to the cause to be questioned, especially with Pak winning the toss and, like India, batting for nearly one and a half days.

But then, Akhtar's inability to play an important role on the most important day of the series for Pakistan, virtually took Kolkatta out of winning equation for Pak.

It was also the flawed thinking of the highest order to have played an unfit bowler in a four bowler attack. Probably, Pakistan could have afforded Akhtar in a five-bowler attack. Or if they had someone like Sourav Ganguly to take care of some of the overs.

If it was a gamble, it misfired completely!