I must confess. I love watching test matches. India winning just makes the experience a whole lot better, but I'd watch a test match anyway.
And on an Australia tour, for an Indian TV spectator, the Perth Test is most comfortable. And an 8 am start makes it the perfect accompaniment to a morning cup of coffee, in the cold Delhi morning. But that's me.
For Indian batsmen, it’s a whole different ball game - they go waca, waca with the extra pace and bounce of the wicket. But this series was different. For once there wasn't a perceptible difference between how Dhoni & Co played in Sydney and the way it’s been so far in Perth. And maybe as an upside, for once I can't decide whether our bowling is worse than our batting or is it the other way around.
Cricinfo's Coverdale says 'Maidens Choke India' - well, I'd have been glad if they just got two an over but hung around. The problem with the current Indian line up seems to be that they are unable of sticking around and batting four-five sessions. In the last four innings India has played, they've been out for a team total of under-200 three times, and this when the hallowed batting line up has a top order with nearly 60,000 test runs between them! For Sachin, Dravid and Laxman, this was supposed to be their swansong down under. But that ain't happening - no wonder it’s called a 'fairy tale' ending... and this is after all test cricket, not a KJo bollywood special.
After the England whitewash last year, I wondered if things could get worse. The Windies provided some relief at home but then came the big boxing day loss and the massive mauling in Sydney. And still the the question persisted - Can the losses get any bigger? Well, Team India is on track - shot out for 161, and then pulverized by a David Warner blitzkrieg. And to think, this was the Team No 1 just six months ago. Gautam Gambhir keeps asking (on a commercial) - Have I made it large? Will someone please tell him - yes, you have and so have the others... Large hearts are, after all, what must keep them going in the face of such enormous losses.Maybe, I should just blame it on Friday the 13th bringing bad luck... Yes, that's just what it was. Tomorrow is another day. I solemnly resolve to wake up to see the Australian openers walk out and pray... uh oh!... my agnosticism won't do any good... Hmmm, perhaps I'll wake the missus up, she'd pray... She feels bad for all the 40-year-olds going down under...
