India Escape with a draw.

Well done NZ. Written off before this series even started, it took immense guts - not to mention a fair bit of skill, to end the first test as the happier of the two sides. Ryder yet again showed the potential he has whilst KW even at this early stage looks the part. India had Harbhajan to thank for what otherwise was a pretty shoddy performance. I have immense respect for bowlers who put in the effort to improve their batting. It's not something you generally associate with Indian teams - so take a bow Harbhajan. However, there is no escaping the fact that India desperately need a spinner challenging Harbhajan on the bowling front. Admittedly the wicket was pathetic (what else do you expect in Motera?) but that does not change the fact that our spin bowling is going through some tough times. Ojha remains a good backup spinner but is unlikely to run through sides.

India have some decisions to make going into the 2nd test. How long can they keep Pujara out? Too early to judge - yes - but with South Africa coming soon and Raina still looking suspect at this level, maybe the time has come for him to be given a go. Gambhir is another man who is desperately in need of a big score. NZ's attack is ordinary to say the least and he needs to make the next test count.

All in all it was yet another instance of a poor wicket hurting test cricket. The last time a test was played at Motera, SL made over 700 and the match ended in a tame draw. Wonder what happened to the ICC's plan of punishing test grounds that consistently prepare pitches that are not suited for test match cricket? It is also about time that the BCCI hold tests in centres that enjoy their test cricket. Kolkata, Bangalore, Mumbai & Chennai should get the bulk of the games with maybe Kanpur thrown in from time to time. Why play matches in cities that are not interested in tests?

Hyderabad has not hosted a test match in a long time. Hopefully, the curator there will prepare a pitch that encourages better cricket. India's top order will also do well to play a little more positively. It's true that they were up against a disciplined bowling line-up on a slow, slow pitch. Nevertheless, it was strange to see the shell that they got themselves into. A top team needs to show more initiative. Sehwag's genius at the top should enable the batsmen following to play a little more freely.

Australia & all that

Been away for a bit and just did not find the time to blog. In the meantime, quite a bit has happened in the cricket world. India beating Australia was obviously the highlight. Enough has been said about how these two teams have no business playing just the 2 tests - I agree with all of it and then some more. Nevertheless, the series still brought about some riveting test cricket.

India can look back with pride at a top notch performance. The emergence of young talent though has been the biggest bonus. Vijay's 100 was a superb innings made all the more satisfying given that he came in at a time when India were in a bit of trouble. Young batsman today are often accused of lacking the temperament for test cricket but Vijay showed that in abundance. For a free stroking batsman, it was pleasing to see Vijay curb his natural tendency to attack and be a lot more selective about his shot-making. I'm still not convinced whether his technique will hold up on more responsive pitches, but few will argue that he has earned his chance.

All the hype over Pujara has only intensified after his quite fabulous knock in a high pressure situation. His innings more than anyone else's, made what was looking like a tricky chase into a thumping win for the Indians. It has been just one innings, but it's impossible to not get excited over what might be coming. Amongst the other youngsters, he looks the most composed against the short ball and surprisingly for an Indian batsman he is willing to play the hook shot. It will be a shame to leave him out against NZ but it would also be unfair on the others who are all there on merit.

Nothing new to add on Tendulkar or VVS - simply brlliant. Dravid looked patchy yet again and maybe just maybe it's time to go. South Africa will be an acid test and it will be interesting to see whether Dravid still has it in him to succeed there. It's probably unfair to criticize Raina given the success he's had so far in his still fledgling career. His awkwardness against the short ball - exposed once again in Bangalore - is however, a real cause for concern. South Africa will be watching and I will be surprised if he gets anything pitched inside his half once he walks out at Durban or Joberg.

Dhoni's performance will also cause a bit of concern. He was never likely to become a great keeper, but he's managed to transform himself into a very reliable one. That reliability deserted him against Australia and he missed out on a number of fairly straightforward chances. His batting suffered too and he's another bloke who SA will be looking to target. Apart from the odd knock here and there, I reckon it's fair to say that the bulk of Dhoni's runs in test cricket have been made in friendly conditions. How he adapts will be worth watching.

The bowling was steady but that's about it. Zak was the exception. After the number of fast bowlers who seem to disappear after a handful of performances, it's good to see someone evolve into a truly world class performed. Zak was super with the old ball and actually reminded me at times of a certain Pakistani fast bowler who just made it to Cricinfo's all time world XI. The rest of the bowling was ordinary. Ojha is steady but is unlikely to be the kind of spinner who will take a bagful of wickets. He did enough to hold his place though. Harbhajan Singh is looking more and more ordinary with each passing series. Unfortunately, the spin bowling cupboard is not overflowing with talent and therefore Harbhajan is unlikely to be challenged anytime soon. Sreesanth was woeful in his only outing and Ishant desperately needs to find some consistency.

NZ's visit almost seems like an appetizer given what lies ahead. It's difficult to see NZ being able to trouble India too much especially given the lack of experience most of them have in Indian conditions. India will want to win and win emphatically. Let the tests begin!