India VS Australia—–>Classic Rivalry Revived

 

Ian Chappel 

The intense rivalry that now exists between Australia and India kicked into high gear in 1997-98, appropriately initiated by a wonderful contest between two champions Shane Warne and Sachin Tendulkar in Chennai.

With Warne now more interested in straight flushes than turning legbreaks, and Tendulkar’s glittering career winding down, it was easy to assume this rivalry had been a sprint rather than a marathon. However, the startling events in the current Test series have shown that the contest has had a second wind. We’re in for many more years of intense competition between these two proud cricketing nations.

The once great divide that characterised these two teams, the inability to compete away from home, has closed like an unhinged door over the last few years. Under Ricky Ponting, Australia broke their hoodoo and won a series in India for the first time in 35 years. Now Anil Kumble has led a vibrant side to an inspired win at the WACA, the bouncy graveyard of many touring sides, not just India.

For Australia, talented young cricketers like Michael Clarke, Mitchell Johnson and a revitalised Brett Lee are providing the spark for a continued run of success. On the other side, RP Singh, Irfan Pathan and Ishant Sharma are inspiring an Indian side that has for long been top-heavy in batting. The successful injection of new blood into both teams provides ample evidence that this rivalry is far from a dwindling affair.

The fact that India has been able to shrug off a turbulent loss at the SCG and disregard the ridiculous hyperbole surrounding the WACA pitch to bat first and dictate terms in the third Test is indicative of a changing mindset in the team. India is unearthing a new breed of Test match player, more competitive and resilient. Kumble has embraced this trend and Mahendra Singh Dhoni embodies its spirit.

The resurgence of Irfan Pathan is a particularly pleasing aspect of India’s determined performance. Pathan has always been a talented and smart cricketer but that doesn’t make him immune to the peaks and troughs all players have to endure. The good signs at the WACA suggest he’s been to the valley and is now on the ascent, as a far stronger character.

His grit and strokeplay when batting was encouraging but it was the sight of him swinging the new ball at a reasonable pace that suggested his confidence was returning. He knew his bowling was needed in Adelaide, but just so the selectors would have no doubts about picking him, he strode to the wicket as a night-watchman and after outlasting four illustrious partners, returned to the pavilion a bonafide top-order batsman. He won’t always have good days but this Test should have given him the confidence to avoid slipping back to the dark times he has just endured.

On the other side of the ledger a young Australian fast bowler will have learned a good lesson after a few demoralising days at the WACA. With so much talk about the pitch being fast and bouncy, Shaun Tait was sucked into making an ill-advised comment about bowling the fastest ball ever delivered. This comment was delivered before the match started but he was unable to deliver on the field and finished low on confidence, bowling in the 130s, and couldn’t even erase the tailenders at a crucial time in the match. Tait should now know that it’s wiser to let your deeds do the talking and that Test matches are a far cry from the wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am razzmatazz of Twenty20 cricket.

Test cricket can be an absorbing contest when bat and ball are evenly matched. And in a game that can be sheep-like in its ability to follow meaningless trends, it’s to be hoped the impact of swinging deliveries on recent Test series has been noted. The fate of the Ashes in 2005 turned on England’s ability to swing the ball, and last year India turned the tables on Michael Vaughan’s side in the same way. Now we’ve had the result of a wonderful contest at the WACA determined by the swinging ball. It’s a timely reminder of the importance of this often undervalued skill.

Twenty years ago talk of an intense rivalry between Australia and India receiving a boost on the bouncy WACA pitch would have been sufficient grounds for certification, followed by insertion into a white gown and a padded cell. There’s nothing like a healthy rivalry and a keen contest to quickly erase any thoughts of madness and conspiracy.

Adelaide….Finally conquered by GOD…..

Hi Friends,

                     Jan 24th,2007………The day that saw the Adelaide oval being conquered by the master Sachin Tendulkar himself………On this day i read a article by Jenny Thompson……..Just thought of sharing it with u……………Over to Jenny………….

Don’t try to interview passionate India fans (as if there’s any other kind) when Sachin Tendulkar is batting. For one, they’ve barely got half an ear on the questions, while you have more stop-starts with the tape than a nervous sprint-race starter. You simply can’t hear anything other than a roar of “Sachin! Sachin! Sachin!” when he so much as touches the ball if you’re sitting anywhere near the three main 30-strong clumps of India fans at the Cathedral End, which should be renamed the Sachin Stand. All are based in Adelaide, most studying potentially lucrative IT, engineering or business. Even the majority of the Bharat Army, one of the three groups, have made Adelaide their semi-permanent home as students here, although these loyal followers have travelled throughout Australia following India since Boxing Day. “No-one else matches his class,” murmurs Gill, a Bharat Army member, over three takes of the tape. “I want to watch him just get a century.” Does Tendulkar love the support? “Definitely he does, he looks back over here when he gets a half-century,” he smiles proudly. “Keep a close eye.”

Two overs later Gill’s proven right: Tendulkar clips a single through midwicket off Stuart Clark to bring up his half-century and immediately turns and points his bat to acknowledge the Bharat Army before anyone else, even his team-mates.Rajeed, another Army member, is not surprised. “He is a good man, very polite, and he has not changed,” he said, echoing everyone canvassed. “That’s why he’s so popular in India. He is like a God and he’s treated just next to the prime minister. I’m sure that if he participated in the prime ministerial elections he is going to be the next prime minister.”

It’s not just that he’s the best in his field – “He is legend!” smiles Harish, “Legend is ultimate word,” adds Vamshi – it’s that he’s the best in cricket, too. “Cricket has murdered other sports in India,” says Lovepreet, yet another student, who also thinks Tendulkar’s appearance accounts for 25% of the Indian fans here. “He has done a lot for India, even his record doesn’t tell the full story. He’s been consistent.”

Has Tendulkar unwittingly, albeit beautifully, massacred anyone else’s chances to be held so reverently in the future? “There will be no-one like him,” reckons Vamshi, but Lovepreet is not so sure. “People used to say when Sunil Gavaskar retired, ‘Who will bat for India now?’ but time goes on, people come and go, it’s not going to stop. I will still go on India tours when he’s gone.”

Tendulkar has to retire one day and this could be his last Test in Australia. Most people are expecting this, but not Rajeed. “I think he is planning for a long time. He is saying that ‘I can play at least for four or five years’. The people are saying, he is not saying ‘I am retiring after this series’. I think he will play the next World Cup in 2011.”

Regardless, while the Army has had t-shirts made to spell out one word if they line up properly, it’s not the word ‘Sachin’ emblazoned. It’s that of their country. And in among the joyous “Sachin! Sachin! Sachin!”, an equally infectious “India! India. India! India.” starts up and it’s impossible not to join in.

Not everyone is in raptures over the man who has scored more than 11,000 Test runs. While most of the home fans undoubtedly respect Tendulkar – Australians loves a champion – some are indifferent. “I don’t rate him very highly,” says 26-year-old Andy. “He’s not really a phenomenon here. We just feel the ripple effects from India and through other Indians and expats here in Australia.”

But when he hears that while Tendulkar was coming into bat, among the resounding cheers were jeers and boos and someone even shouted: “You suck, Tendulkar”, Andy is quick in response. “That’s disrespectful and offensive. You wouldn’t do it to anyone.”

Later, Tendulkar brings up his century cover-driving Michael Clarke and the whole ground stands as one, Australian fans leading the bowing in fact. Tendulkar, it seems, has won yet another set of fans over.

If this is his last Test here then he has picked his moment well, particularly as he came averaging 20.33 here, way down on his in-Australia average of 55.50. He more than surpassed it though, with an innings that will live long in the memory.