An Indian's Perspective on the Perth Win

[sanketh84]

I dare to write on an aussie forum for the risk of being abused in all your replies. Well honestly what transpired was a scintillating game of cricket, hard fought and ultimately won by an underdog team which I thought bowled out of their skins(People love the stories of how underdogs beat champions don't they??). Honestly as an Indian before the start of the game, I thought we were gonna be wrapped in body bags and sent home by the Aussies by the third day on the fastest pitch in the world(Yes, its a reference to one of the threads here that said Tait needed to be unleashed to hurt us and stuff!!!).
It was setup beautifully after the drama of the Sydney test which was scarred by umpiring decisions and Harbhajan controversy. Honestly thinking about it, Kumble went a little overboard by questioning the spirit in which the Aussies played. I really do not think aussies were at fault for not walking or appealing when it was not out, its a player's prerogative to appeal and the umpire needs to make those decisions. I heard one comment made by Gilly which said he walked when he nicked one and when behind the stumps he appeals coz he's not sure and I couldn't have put my point across better than he did. I really thought the least Bucknor shouldve done was apologize to young Ishant Sharma like Rudi Koertzen did to Sangakarra. I really was shell-shocked when Symonds was even given not out by the third umpire!!!!
The Indians did well to come out of all this mess knowing that we at most times let emotions run high and lose sight of the goal. It was a good gesture to drop the charge against Brad Hogg, I still believe Harbhajan wouldn't have gone to the extreme of saying anything racist. I was surprised that an "Indian" was called a racist where we've dealt with it from colonial times and I've personally experiencing racism during my stint in the US and UK.I really do believe in the integrity of Sachin Tendulkar when he defends Harbhajan and slapping a 3 match ban was unfair with no evidence to corroborate. I do believe if my lip reading skills are decent enough that he couldve said some thing starting with "Maa Ki..." in Hindi(which by the way means ur mothers....)which couldve so easily been misinterpreted, and its not uncommon for us to break into our mother tongue in a heated argument as I've experienced it sometimes myself plus the added advantage of people not knowing hindi not getting what you say.
Anyways I was glad that both teams got past that,beyond it was just a thrilling game to watch and couldn't be played in better spirit!!!. Being a Hyderabadi myself and watching Laxman play a knock like that was a surreal feeling.The pace bowling attack was much more effective and "swing" as much as Ponting may deny it brought about their downfall.Well my congratulations to the Aussie team for the grit they showed even 8 wickets down on the 4th day, I cant even think of any team which at 61-5 on day 2 of a test match would go all guns blazing. Kudos to the Indian team coming back from 2-0 in the series with the heartbreak at Sydney and going onto conquer the bastion of the great aussies.
I hear a few comments on the umpiring and realistically speaking it evened out with Sachin and Dhoni given bad decisions and Hussey, Symonds given out on contentious decisions. Once again Laxman and India have proved to be thorns in the thorns in the flesh of the aussies and is it coincidence galore or what, last time we cut the 16 win trot and last time aussies got beaten at home was by india 5 years back.The Aussies no matter what to me are still the world champions but we've showed our mettle. It was easily the best test match I have seen, here we come Australia... out to get you guys in Adelaide!!!(which btw was a happy hunting ground for us last time)

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by sanketh84

I dare to write on an aussie forum for the risk of being abused in all your replies. Well honestly what transpired was a scintillating game of cricket, hard fought and ultimately won by an underdog team which I thought bowled out of their skins(People love the stories of how underdogs beat champions don't they??).

Welcome to the board... and thank-you for taking the time to look over the board, for showing respect for the tone and conventions of the board and for contributing such an excellent first post - few start so well!

Originally Posted by sanketh84

Well my congratulations to the Aussie team for the grit they showed even 8 wickets down on the 4th day, I cant even think of any team which at 61-5 on day 2 of a test match would go all guns blazing.

Having been charitable about your post... I must, however, pick you up on this: up to the 45th over Hussey and Clarke were batting responsibly... and despite Hussey falling, Clarke continued to back himself for the long game - he had the confidence in the completeness of his own game to play each ball on merit.

What happened with Symonds and Gilchrist does not deserve "kudos": they had a senior partner at the other end and failed dismally to back him up. On that pitch, going hard at the ball was only ever going to have one outcome... and Symond's slog for six just two balls before his dismissal signalled his lack of stomach for the task of supporting his senior partner. Gilchrist was just as bad: look back at all the attempted sweeps, flicks and chips - Gilchrist had no faith in his ability to give Clarke the support he deserved.

I trust that Ponting will also go even further down in the estimation of all for failing to reign in his wayward batsmen: the lower middle order's display of resignation should have been stamped out with clear instructions from the dressingroom... though the chances of Ponting admitting his responsibility for guiding his errant charges strike me as about as great as the chances of Ponting suddenly seeing the light regarding sledging and the like!

[Seamer]

Hi sanketh84

Looks like no other Aussies are willing to comment, so i will give an Australian's perspective. At least give a reflection of what the various sporting editorials are saying around the country today.

Firstly, it is easy to be magnanimous in victory. But the magnanimity was really needed at the end of the SCG test. That obviously did not happen.

Personal attacks on the Australian team and captain, the humiliation of a well liked and well decorated umpire, threats to cancel the tour........

I will give an analogy of what the Australian perspective of the Perth test.

It was like playing a game of poker against a person that pulled a gun on you and threatened to shoot the last time you beat him in a hand.

This feeling of course does not reflect on you personally sanketh84 or Indians in general. All societies have pretty much the same shades of light, dark and grey. It reflects mainly on the temporary psychosis of the Indian team and board.

Anyway, i am glad that you enjoyed the Indian victory. Look forward to more of your posts here on subject matter that is of a more positive subject matter

[sanketh84]

As i said before seamer...we indians sometimes let emotions run high and lose sight of the goal.I mean compare MCG to what happened at SCG, I thought it was slightly unfair coz most people believed that a draw was the right result.I hated the way Ponting and his men didn't go upto Kumble and offer a handshake for a gritty knock and we didn't give enough credit to the aussies as well it was an ugly scene. I thought the turning point of that match was the wrong decision of dravid who like steve waugh is the man for such occasions. It surprises me that the same Bucknor who couldn't hear a thick edge when Symonds nicked it to the keeper, "supposedly" heard a nick from Dravid's bat and gave him out when the bat was neatly tucked behind the pad. Mr. Bucknor could be a celebrated umpire but he has given plenty of horrendous decisions in the recent past even as recently in the England tour where he almost cost us the series. You would be suprised that some wrong decisions specially by Steve Bucknor has caused Sachin to lose out on atleast 2 centuries last year, the fact that Sachin lost out on a few more coz of his own doing is another story. This was the real reason why they wanted Bucknor out and I dont think its unfair after he bungled up in the world cup as well.
Personal attacks on the captain and players by the Indians were uncalled for and I agree but we just dont know what transpired on the ground but there seemed to be a fair bit of animosity on both sides, I dont know who provoked what but it just seemed ugly. But then we're not the only people who pointed a finger at the Australian team for sledging, I dont know if Australian people are generally aggresive which makes it ok to say a few things. But I can tell you that we people are generally very mild, u will see that if u visit India sometime. About the threats to cancel the tour...did u think that was serious? I thought it was a way to bully ICC into removing Bucknor and just showing that the board and the country was behind harbhajan and the team. I mean cricket is a religion in India and cricketers are demi-gods ( poor Greg Chappell got to know the hard way), you will be surprised how the entire nation comes to a standstill when there is a match. And coming close to drawing a match against Australia in Oz land that too after thier 15 match winning streak and then losing out due to bad umpiring was something we couldn't digest. I really didn't expect a scathing piece by Peter Roebuck nor such backlash from so many former players against the aussie team. Let me tell you losing isn't something we're not used to and honestly, I didn't them a chance for them to win at Perth nor winning a single test match on this tour. All I wanted for my team to fight and maybe salvage a few draws and lose fighting if it comes down to that. I was surprised by their inspired fight in Perth which makes me give them a 20% chance of pulling off a victory in Adelaide. I'm sure people will be wondering aah..what if we managed a draw in Sydney and won in Perth...we would go into adelaide 1-1. But then if we hadn't lost in sydney maybe the team wouldn't be such an inspired lot to win in Perth.