Now that India has managed a magnificent grand total of 100 runs in the fourth inning of a home test match, that too on a firm batsmen friendly wicket, let the post-mortem begin. There will be much analysis. Our Desi ex-stars will ask that the foreign coaches and fitness experts be held accountable. They will question all the new fangled theories and assert the time honored traditions of their ustads. The entire world will ask: how could the best batting line up in the world bat so pathetically, wouldn’t even last fifty overs and then lose seven wickets for twenty five runs in fifteen overs? Indeed, how could a thirty seven year old, balding off spinner (with a test bowling average of 92) named Shaun Udal (and called ‘Shaggy’ by friends and foes) get four wickets (including Tendulkar’s) for 14 runs in 9.2 overs?
Here is the irony. I suspect this same Indian batting line up would have chased 313 if this were a One day international, on the same wicket against the same bowlers. Heck, Dhoni and Yuvraj would have probably finished the game by the 45th over. But why is chasing 300 still difficult in the fourth inning of a test match whereas in ODIs, teams do it routinely? In our response, friends, might lie an answer as to why Test cricket still remains a great test of cricketing skills.
Ultimately, it is just that. Test cricket gives an opportunity for a journey man like Udal to have his moment under the sun just as it makes a monkey out of a Dhoni. Sure, our man showed commendable temperament in the first inning to score 64 but in the second inning, he just charged Udal until someone decided to catch a skier and put him out of misery. Test cricket still tests both skill and temperament in a way ODI doesn’t. It creates doubt more often in Dhoni’s mind. Udal gets a second chance to bowl. Doubt and second chances. It’s just that.
Finally, we saw something remarkable and unpleasant at Wankhede. Tendulkar was actually booed when he got out in the first inning. Is this the beginning of the end of a great career? Who knows! Read Nirmal Shekhar’s reflections on this question. But Tendulkar deserves better than that, especially from his home crowd.
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