India give it back with bat and ball

MUMBAI: It is a cricketing truism that the scorebook never tells the full story. In cold statistical terms, India recorded a 72-run victory over Australia at Perth. But for Anil Kumble’s team, and a billion Indian supporters, this was more than just a facile sporting triumph; it was poetic justice too.

The Perth triumph has to be necessarily seen against the backdrop of the Sydney Test controversies and its aftermath. Poor umpiring and unfettered sledging by the opponents ridiculed not just the second Test, but the fair name of cricket. Yet, India were 0-2 down, and on the verge of being blighted, with only the high moral ground to cling on to. That is of little help in salvaging a series, not to mention pride.

What chance did India have on a Perth flier? Not a hope in hell, said experts, and justifiably, there were no disputes. History was against any upset. But history, it must be remembered, is never static — always under construction.

The exploits of this Indian team will now serve as the fresh benchmark for cricket at Perth, in Australia — indeed for the history of the game itself.

So how did India stymie Ricky Ponting’s ambition of winning his seventeenth successive Test?

Clearly, the resurrection had to happen in the mind before the players took the field. The anger and frustration of Sydney had to be sublimated into positive thought, the actions would then speak for themselves. In the circumstances, it was an improbable assignment, but such has been the influence of Anil Kumble on his team, that a team of no-hopers was transformed into a side of world-beaters.

What Kumble did right
a) Winning the toss may have been luck, but Kumble’s decision to bat first was bold and showed aggressive intent. Most teams prefer to allow their bowlers first use of the fast track, he chose to throw the gauntlet at his opponents and his own batsmen. His batsmen delivered, the opponents flopped.  

b) Made the right changes, bringing in Sehwag for providing the initial thrust that had been missing from the first two Tests, and Irrfan Pathan. Both were hungry to succeed after spending time on the benches, and made significant contributions.

c) Read the pitch much better than Ponting. The pitch belied expectations of being a flier, Shaun Tait’s inclusion over Brad Hogg became an embarrassment in time for the Australian skipper. Meanwhile, Kumble asked his pace bowlers to emphasise on control and swing than on pace, and the Aussie batsmen were put to struggle.

d) Made smart bowling changes, with the introduction of Sehwag as off-spinner against Gilchrist on the last day being a master-stroke. He also struck a superb balance between attack and defence, though the first innings score was only a modest 330.

e) Most importantly, he raised the ambition of the team. That the Australians could be beaten at Perth was as much about self-belief as about cricketing skill. The body language of the Indian players displayed confidence and control, even in tight situations. The aggression was never overt, but not muted either — the manner in which Ishant Sharma bowled at Ponting in both innings being the best example of this.

f) Kumble had scored over Ponting in the diplomatic ‘warfare’ before the test, and cleverly transferred the pressure on to the Australian team. They now had to prove a point. In the event, they got sucked into hype surrounding the Perth pitch, and their own false sense of invincibility.

Was this India’s best victory ever? In 1970-71, the West Indies and England were beaten in successive series’, in 1975-76, India scored 406 to beat Clive Lloyd’s mighty West Indians at Port of Spain., in the 2001 Test at Kolkata, India came remarkably back from the dead, as it were. These were all great victories. 

But for the sheer circumstances surrounding this match, and the character shown by Anil Kumble’s team, Perth circa 2008 perhaps stands supreme.