Don’t pussyfoot, Team India

By John Cheeran
There is no place for half-heated measures either in life or in cricket.
If you are playing the ball, play it hard.
Hit it hard when you are playing wily foxes like Muttaiah Muralitharan. Don’t let them dominate you.
Purists may frown at such a tactic, but it works invariably.
Playing only in his third Test Mahendra Singh Dhoni proved it yesterday, after the Indian boat was rocked by Sri Lanka’s action heroes Lasith Masinga and Muraliharan.
India, without skipper Rahul Dravid, was 97 for five at one stage after Virender Sehwag won the toss at Ahmedabad.
Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif failed the morning test.
Tendulkar, Yuvraj and Kaif were victims of pussyfooting at the crease and they had no business to lose their wickets to spinners in the manner they did.
There is a problem in top order and Dravid and coach Greg Chappell cannot ignore it any longer.
The problem essentially remains lack of solid opening partnership. It is quite unfortunate that even the challenge of leading the side has not inspired Sehwag to play a long innings.
It was then left to VVS Laxman (unbeaten on 71), Dhoni and Irfan Pathan (unbeaten 39) to rescue the Indian innings and help the hosts end the first day at 247 for six.
Dhoni played a one-day innings.
But he had a positive approach to the task at hand, never letting go any opportunity to score runs. His confident and sure-footed ways gave the Indian innings the much needed impetus. In the process Dhoni also helped his individual cause by hitting off 49 runs.
Later, Irfan Pathan came up with a splendid innings. Pathan proved that the 93 he scored at Feroz Shah Kotla was no flash in the pan. He was supremely confident against the danger man Muralitharan.
With his father and rest of the family watching from the stands, the young Indian all rounder went on the offensive. Runs flowed and India flourished.
Team India needs such efforts from its able and willing performers. Throughout the domestic season, both in one-dayers and Tests, including today, Indian batting had its moment of doubts but on each occasion someone has stepped into stitch together a modest total.
This, I must say, is a new and welcome trait in Team India.