What should India take from Sunday's tie in Bangalore
What should India take from Sunday's tie in Bangalore?
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Some relief certainly at pulling back so strongly in a game that looked lost for 40 overs when Andrew Strauss was smashing his finest one-day century. But the bigger lesson perhaps is that the powerful batting line-up is not an insurance against defeat even on flat tracks.
I thought Piyush Chawla bowled reasonably well in his first spell, but he still leaks runs a little too easily, and but for Zaheer Khan's remarkable final spell, India would have spent the week leading to their next game against Ireland seven days later at the same venue in remorse.
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For 40 overs batting first after Dhoni had won an important toss, India looked to have the game under such firm control that England's goose looked cooked. A total of 360 - which seemed likely - would have done just that, but a sudden collapse to 338 ufffd with the middle-order and tail throwing it away in a reckless quest of big hits, gave Strauss a psychological lifeline.
India's innings was centred around a magnificent century by Sachin Tendulkar, his 98th. If the statistic itself was not awe-inspiring, his magnificent batting surely was. This was an inning of aplomb and superb control.
There was nary a false stroke as he moved towards the three-figure mark as if it was pre-ordained.u00a0
The hallmark of Tendulkar's batting was the manner in which he tamed Anderson and Swann, England's best regarded bowlers, to gain psychological control of the proceedings. He has been known to do this through his career ufffd get after the best bowlers so that the opposition wilts into submission.
Deft footwork
Off-spinner Swann was not allowed to settle into any rhythm, Tendulkar using deft footwork to smite him repeatedly over mid-on and mid-wicket. Anderson, for a while backed by an unusual field of point, cover point, two short covers and mid-off was still struck for boundaries through a smashing cover-drive and a blistering
square cut.
Half-centuries from Gambhir and Yuvraj swelled the score past the 300-mark. By the time he was dismissed, it appeared that Tendulkar had won the day for his team, but the Indian team had reckoned without the Strauss's bull-dog spirit.
Where Tendulkar batted with great finesse, the England captain was teutonic, driving, hooking, cutting and pulling with power and derring-do. Given the mighty task he faced, it must be said that Strauss' innings was greater on the day. From a near impossible situation, he made it possible.
Well almost.
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