Ganguly leads India to crushing win in Zimbabwe

Pathan blew Zim away
By Anil
September 23 2005

India has swept the away Test series 2-0 against Zimbabwe, winning the second match in Harare within 2.5 days to follow up the 3-day innings win in Bulawayo.

Although India was expected to win, it has never won an away series against Zimbabwe. Harare's reputation of being a "jinxed" venue for India meant that it was not a given.

However, a wonderful opening partnership between Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir gave fast bowler Irfan Pathan the platform to rip the heart out of Zimbabwe twice for a match haul of 12 wickets, among the best ever performance by an Indian bowler abroad.

This match was over in two and a half days, with Zimbabwe narrowly avoiding the innings defeat. Sehwag wasted no time in knocking off the cover off the ball for the 19 runs needed to give India a 10-wicket win, after the innings and 90-run victory at Bulawayo.

Pathan has truly been Zimbabwe's nemesis. His 12 wickets here ensured that he got the Man of Match, and in addition to the 9 wickets he snapped up at Bulawayo, also fetched him the Man of Series award. His 21 wickets is a world record for a 2-Test series.

Zaheer Khan was second-best and a long distance behind, but he saved his best for last as he snatched 4 wickets with an inspired performance in the second innings. The spinners did nothing special in either Test, although Harbhajan Singh outperformed Anil Kumble who has looked particularly toothless throughout the series.

Among the batsmen, the openers have looked India's best batsmen in both matches. The middle order, comprising Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, and Sourav Ganguly have scored painfully slowly and looked under par against an attack which even Irfan Pathan appeared to handle more comfortably and confidently.

Wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik has failed with the bat in both matches, although he has been competent behind stumps, and the selectors are bound to consider replacing him with powerful hitter Mahendra Dhoni, who has been India's best and most consistent batsman in ODIs of late. Although Karthik may rate marginally better as a keeper, his failure against a minnow attack will not stand him in good stead.

Indian media, in the form of TV anchor Harsha Bhogle, had put Sourav in an untenable position after the first test by repeatedly badgering him to say if he was asked to step down, while making it clear that they knew very well that he was, and would have publicized it regardless of his answer. While it is not known just who leaked that information, Ganguly replied with a terse "No comment" the first couple times he was asked, but eventually admitted that he was indeed asked to do so, adding that its only effect was to reinforce his determination to score runs.

Coach Greg Chappell did not have the authority to make such a request, and will regret his decision to do so. Motivational techniques -- not really needed playing against Zimbabwe in any case -- rarely come in the form of blunt demands for resignation in any field of work. However, coach has mended fences with captain, and they have agreed to put the incident behind them.

Ganguly has established a number of records during this tour: he has now captained the Indian team in a record 49 Tests and won a record 21 matches, including a record 11 matches abroad. He also went past the 5000 test-run mark and hit his 12th test century in Bulawayo.

Coming to the Zimbabwean team, which has lately faced countless banning threats from England, Australia and New Zealand, their batsmen had no answer to Pathan's swing bowling, although it is debatable whether any other international side would have found it easy to handle him in this form. However they have bowled well, with Heath Streak and Blessing Mahwire in particular looking good. Captan Tatenda Taibu was their best batsman, although he could not withstand Pathan in Harare.

Bigger challenges await India at home in the form of several ODIs against Sri Lanka and South Africa, and then a home test series against Lanka. The composition of BCCI and selection committee is also likely to undergo change in the short term. One hopes that the team will stick together at a difficult time to continue the good work.