Was team India playing for bad weather? Did rain not keep its date with team India? Was it defensive policy or the waywardness of the conditions that let India down?

             Only the Indians can do it to themselves. Instead of making the most of the frantic pressure on the hosts and letting them take the heat in the eyes of the media, team India throws a gauntlet and becomes the target of a critical eye. Irfan Pathan is undoubtedly one’s of team India’s most pressing problems. But did it warrant a provoking dialogue ahead of the crucial second Test in Durban ?

               There was no doubt about it. The home team was under severe pressure. To make matters worse, Graeme Smith had nothing in his personal kitty to ward off some of the heat. The swelling temperatures, both on and off the field, were proving testing times for South Africa’s youngest skipper. Yet the need to dabble with the media is perhaps something India simply cannot resist.

              ‘What have we been screaming all along?’ There is little to gain from a blame game. But there is something to be said for accountability and taking responsibility. The strategies that prevailed in the Indian dressing room under the brain trust of Greg Chappell and Rahul Dravid messed up Pathan miserably. It appears rather embarrassing that the team tank have only now opened their eyes to the fact that they need to get Pathan into a confident groove ahead of the world cup.

           Why could the Indians not have taken a similar decision before the tour started? Instead the young man comes back home not only brokenhearted but bang into the glare of a hungry media. He could certainly have done without. What kind of a dubious record is returning home for loss of form? There are certainly a couple of names that come to mind who could well give Pathan company on the flight back home. Are they not in the world cup plans or are they not in the red zone yet? If not now, then when?

         But coming back to the context of the match (which the think tank has certainly succeeded deflecting, even while being in a healthy position), desperation led to Smith’s downfall. Sachin Tendulkar’s catch is certainly praiseworthy. But South Africa appears in a slump similar to that of India’s condition before Sourav Ganguly and V.V.S. Laxman played those knocks in the first Test to edge out the hosts. If Virender Sehwag should not be criticized, then Herschelle Gibbs shouldn’t be either for that atrocious shot selection that undid all the marvelous effort for sixty-three.   

       Morne Morkel appears a tall, lanky and rather shy young bowler. His nervousness on debut was quite obvious from his unimpressive first spell. But the young lad made a name for himself by the time the Test drew to a close. If his first innings steadiness with the bat was anything to go by, the second innings was only further testament of the young man’s ability. Standing solid with Shaun Pollock and sharing a fruitful partnership, Morkel brought the declaration back into South Africa’s court. But much before South Africa had that batting haste on the morning of the fourth day’s play, India ’s batting faltered despite Sachin Tendulkar’s first half-century in the last Test of the year.

      South Africa was on the ropes. The captain was battling like a commoner and the team was threatening to fall apart at the slightest hint of pressure. Dropping Sachin on twenty-one perhaps gave Smith nightmares. Even the weather seemed to be playing truant to try and deny an equalizer for the hosts. South Africa’s lead came visibly down with only V.V.S Laxman holding fort. But the antics between Sreesanth and Andre Nel continued to keep the game alive and on a knife’s edge. But India had chances aplenty. But where South Africa scurried like mice to make every little slip count, the Indians seemed to take off the pressure every time they had the hosts in the grip of their hands. This match was not about outstanding performances. Sure, there was Ashwell Prince’s fine century in the first innings. How valuable it looks in hindsight! But India’s chances to go up an unassailable 2-0 and bury Smith under the barrage of criticism gave India the tease and the slip.

      Small things make a huge difference in the final count. The adamant persistence with Sehwag and the audacity to actually bowl him when South Africa was six down and struggling to set a target showed tactical flaws. India seemed to lack an additional incisive seamer to add to Sreesanth’s penetrative bowling. The baggage of tactical errors is holding the team down. The first victory in the series has not lightened the woes for the visitors who have been unable to stomp on the undersized efforts of South Africa that ironically assumed invaluable proportions with India ’s lack of propensity to rise to the challenge.

       More than the threat of rain and bad weather, it was the temperament of the Indians that was exasperating. Set a difficult target to chase, Sehwag went without a whimper. Makhaya Ntini toiled the morning of day fives and even the Gods of nature were forced to melt into a bright smile. But by then, the dreaded deed had been done. All of India ’s top order batsmen watched anxiously from the dressing room, biting their nails and remunerating on what would have been had they shown more guts. But Ntini bowled with gusto and blew the top order away!

         Back home Ishant Sharma was disappointed and the nation shared the disappointment with him. The BCCI conundrums yet again leave much to be desired. As fragile as Pathan’s future looks, Ishant has already had a taste of international turmoil waters. There is bound to be dismay and disgust especially when someone so young is told he has been picked for an international tour and within the rejoice, cruelly had his enthusiasm plugged out and hopes plunged into darkness. It can only be temporary but he has been hard done.

       Smith came through for the team in South Africa’s second innings. South Africa escaped unscathed from the ring of fire, albeit barely. But South Africa picked up the pieces, took heart from every small, seemingly peevish achievement and took the battle to the opposition. The sad reflection is that dismay and disgust don’t seem very far where the current situation of the Indian cricket team is concerned. There are worries galore. The first Test in Johannesburg may have alleviated the pain a little. But the problems still persist. Travails continue to dog both, the man making millions and the boy aspiring to!