There are lot of views supporting and opposing Dravid's decision not to enforce the follow on, A round-up has been nicely done here.
http://blogs.cricinfo.com/surfer/archives/2007/08/dravid_makes_a.php
My view: The decision was correct. Dravid didn't trust his batsmen to chase 100+. Barbados with 120 to win still rankles. In Mumbai, we lost 5-6 wickets chasing 100 and at Trent Bridge in the same series, we lost 3 wickets chasing 73.
Kumble on a 5th day pitch was a mouth-watering prospect. Zaheer was suffering from some strain and hopefully would have been fully fit on a 5th day. SideBottom was injured and may - just may - have come on to bowl on the 5th day.
Finally, as Dravid mentioned, this was the first time all the bowlers had played 3 tests and only someone who played back-to-back tests would understand how tired his bowlers were.
All said and done, in my humble opinion, while the decision not to enforce the follow-on was justified, the batting crawl was appalling. We needed quick runs. Sure, at 11/3 we needed to consolidate. But as Ganguly proved there were runs for the taking. Even after Dravid left, Laxman and Dhoni were guilty of not trying to score quickly enough.
Anyway, a 1-0 series win over our past colonial masters on the eve of Independence day is great. Savour it. There are some issues that we need to work on. But I'll save them for later. For now, enjoy the rare series win.
Well done guys!
1 comment:
Move over jelly beans-it's the follow on Cntroversy
Whether India should have made England follow on is the hottest topic for discussion
India's cricket manager on this tour, Chandu Borde, had said the other day that the team considered the history of this venue, how teams had often found batting comfortable in the fourth innings here, and specifically pointed out by way of example Sunil Gavaskar's 221 in 1979. India had fallen short by just eight runs, chasing 438 runs.
Despite that, the newspapers and television channels in England spent a busy day expressing "shock" over India's refusal to put their hosts in once again. "The Australians would've finished the game by now," was a common refrain. However, the decision to bat again is not all that shocking. For a team that has faced a barrage of insults and accusations over the past one year topped by the premature World Cup exit seen as the biggest upset in Indian cricket ever, to win a series in England was like rising from death.
For India, it was the thought of what could possibly lie in store back home if they did not return with the trophy from here. Batting again and setting England a huge target was atleast a way of ensuring that they won the series 1-0 at least.
India have squandered such advantages in the past, like the last Test at Sydney in 2004 and the Cape Town Test last year.
They have been either tagged as flat-track bullies, not capable of winning outside the country, or a team that has perennially failed to provide the final touch. It was shocking to hear it from a team member that they feared of their houses getting stoned and effigies burnt.
Those voting in the contest here would not know that. England and Australia, despite their share of agony in the past will never understand the mindset of an Indian cricketer and the pressure he faces back home. Australia might have finished the game in the morning itself, but India are not Australia.
India have won the series in England after 21 years, they have won their first biggest trophy in more than a year now. The series will, if only partially, help shun the demons of the World Cup defeat. The follow-on may have been a practical decision for many, those with the killer instinct. But for this Indian team-trying to sneak out of a labyrinth of gloom and despair-this was the only choice, wrong but not without reason.
-------------- INDIAN EXPRESS ---------------
I agree with Anand Sir and the above review .
People might call our captain a "FATTU " but i think his decision was the RIGHT one. No doubt the team think tank took the safer option. But for once lets just enjoy this series win without criticising the team and the GREAT LEADER - DRAVID.
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