Third session at the Eden Gardens

It is just after tea-time on the second day of the second Test Match between India and Pakistan at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Pakistan are going strong with the two hitherto struggling Y’s, Younis Khan and Yousuf Youhana already past their individual fifties.

But its Eden Gardens and the third session of day’s play here invariably favours the bowlers. Remember that it was in the third session yesterday that Abdur Razzaq suddenly found his rythm and started the rot that led to the Indian middle order caving in without too much of a fight. And if that is not enough, take your mind back to the 2001 series against Australia. Matthew Hayden was going great guns until he tried to flick Bhajji to the mid-wicket fence where he was caught just three short of his hundred. And that had led to 7 wickets tumbling in that last session of play.

So, even when Younis Khan and Youhana are flaying the Indian bowlers, I’d still back the bowlers. Now only if Ganguly takes the under-par Pathan off the attack and brings in the ‘Turbanator’!!

Update: Ganguly took far too long to introduce Harbhajan after the tea-time interval. As a result, the curiously ineffective Pathan and Balaji suffered at the hands of Younis Khan and Yousuf Youhana. At the other end, Kumble seemed to be fighting a lone battle by trying to contain the batsmen. But the lack of pressure of any kind at the other end meant that Kumble’s efforts were rendered useless. What was needed was a dual spin attack with fielders around the bat to create an aura of pressure. But by the time Harbhajan was brought on to partner Kumble, the damage was done. By the end of the day, Bhajji was going at just over 3 runs to the over while the blue-eyed boy, Pathan, was going at around 5 runs/over. What can one say?! … Have the Indians forgotten how to pick wickets and win matches?! I hope not! More on this in my next post. For the time being, the only hope is the fact that even the Indians were 278/2 at one time in their first innings. So the Pakistani total of 273/2 should not worry them much!