Kumble and Laxman challenge Australia's hegemony


How much we can all read into a solitary game of cricket. A week ago Australia were a superhuman side who, even if they had to cross the line in doing so, would simply always find a way to win. Now they are merely a brilliant side about to embark on the way down.

There are a number of areas of perceived fallibility India will look to exploit at Adelaide where, considering they won there four years ago on a pitch reasonably conducive to spin, they will rightly believe they can level the series. These include the opening pair - though this will be less vulnerable if Matt Hayden returns; Adam Gilchrist, undeniably in decline although still able to play the occasional superlative knock; and the fourth bowler, most likely to be Brad Hogg.

Whatever happens in the final Test, however, there is little doubt that India are now the second best side in the world. Following on from two impressive series victories over England and Pakistan, there have responded superbly to a thrashing at Melbourne. In Anil Kumble, they have a combative and proud skipper whose attributes have rubbed off upon his team-mates. As was the case last time in Australia, he has bowled with guile and gumption, becoming the third man to take 600 Test wickets in the process.

Their seam attack that has progressed superbly of late. The rejuivinated Zaheer Khan is an admirable leader of the attack; but, indicative of the resilience of this side, his team-mates have risen to the challenge of his injury. At Perth, they exposed the Australian fallibility to top-class swing bowling. RP Singh is developing into Zhan's heir, able to curve the ball round corners, while Irfan Pathan reminded everyone why the cricketing world were so excited about his emergance four years ago. He batted with class in both innings, looking a bona fida Test number seven, and adds real batting depth when at eight. With the ball, he twice claimed both of Australia's openers; high-quality, controlled swing will always be able to test the best around. And then there was Ishant Sharma. His figures this series belies his talent: no one who witnessed the manner in which he worked out Ricky Ponting, and twice dismissed him, will doubt he is a major talent.

India meekly succumbed with the bat in the opening Test. But their batting has been transformed since, with Rahul Dravid rediscovering his obduracy, Sachin Tendulkar resplendent, and Virender Sehwag showing the merit of an aggressive opener. Yet again, however, VVS Laxman has risen to the Australian challenge, whether playing at three or six. His wristiness and ease playing of the back foot mark him out as one of the most dazzling players around; watching him in ful flow is to watch batsmanship at its best. Frankly, he has underachieved in only averaging 44. But, at 33, there are signs that he has a new-found steeliness, and is no longer as prone to ending spectacular cameos with a loose shot. Over the next two years or so, Laxman has the chance to emerge as India's best batsman and cement the reputation his brilliant talents deserve.

Another majestic century at Adelaide would be as good a way as any to start. Australia are rattled and looking a little vulnerable. Under Kumble, India are imbued with a fighting spirit and resilience they have not always been associated with. Whatever happens in the final Test, India have the players to defeat Australia when they meet in India later this year. 'Too much cricket' is a common refrain, but no one will be complaining if Australia-India contests match the intensity and quality of the last two games.

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third-umpire.com

Generally uncontentious... but little seperates the leaders of the chasing pack of Test sides: if Murali, Jayawardene, Sangakara and co are fit, touring Sri Lanka remains the toughest challenge in cricket after touring Australia (and possibly a challenge to large for Australia without Warne) and shouldn't be considered too far behind India when playing away from home - and following a host of injury related disruptions, England approach NZ looking as strong as they have in a generation.

I'm not sure quite where to put Pakistan and SA in relation to the rest... but the core of both sides is strong.

hegemony

Is a bit rich.

Australia is not trying to forcibly enforce itself as bourgeois ruling class in international cricket. And as a nation was a colony rather than being a colonizer.

Genghis Kahn play hard and take no prisoners is a far more appropriate analogy of Australian cricket.

Ah: note to self - ignore term "hegemony" to avoid flashbacks to too much reading around Gramsci and the Frankfurt School....

The term is loaded with significance for me... but I believe those not afflicted with the same associations do not have any great problem with hegemony being used almost interchangeably with "dominance".

I think the most important thing India should take from the Perth test match.

Is the win was a result of many components of the team standing up and performing when it was neccesary.

Rather than trying to build something around some huge individual performance.

Better to have 10-11 Indians playing good-very good cricket, rather than 1 superstar hitting the jackpot 3 superstars missing it and up and down performances from the rest.

India have an aging team.

Tendulkar, Laxman, Dravid, Kumble, Sehwag.

With the core of the team being so old, i would prefer to see the replacement players an how they play, before believing all these grand predictions.

Playing to their absolute best. After having the opposition 5-60 in the first innings. India have one one test. Just.

I wouldn't get too carried away if i was an Indian.

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The thought police are everywhere..............

Virender Sehwag is younger than Chris Rogers.

Is he? Man he seems old.

Still, the point stands. Australia had to offer answers to what will happen when McGrath/Warne/Langer/Martyn left the scene, and they have made some decent strides in answering them.

India need to do the same. Kumble looks like he could go on for some time yet, as will Harbhijan. Their pace options look healthy enough. I am interested in who is coming through for them in the batting department.

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The thought police are everywhere..............

One point on this Feverpitch

Is it Kumble that has imbued fighting spirit in the Indian team, or is it the circumstances?

In the first test i was watching the body language ( i know a fair bit about this subject) of the Indian team, and i noticed a certain internal tension within the "team" . In particular Dhoni and Dravid and others to a lesser extent.

I assume the captaincy issue is part of the cause. And of course, when you have one tribe and two or three wanting to be chief, you get factioning. There may be other issues as well, poeple dislike other people for a myriad of reasons, but often resent and jealosy is the cause for disharmony.

No matter what type of picture you want to paint, all is not well within the Indian team. There are at least two (perhaps more) that i suspect want Kumble to fail.

And then events of the second test came along and this was a godsend for Kumble. As with all leaderships that face dissent (governments, dictators, cricket captains - whatever) they need an outside threat to help create temporary unity. This was achieved, and India played as a team.

But what happens when there is no big, bad Australia to play? How long before the unity falls back into factioning, due to a lack of common cause?

As i say, it believe it was circumstances, not Kumble, that created the rare spectacle of India playing as a team.

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The thought police are everywhere..............

hi seamer, its nice to see how deep u analysed the indian team
i am not as articulate as you are ,but i feel u r imagining bit too much about friction and unity in indian team
agree or not kumble is by far the best captain indian team ever had(in some aspects better than ganguly or wadekar)
i guess every team has some players who don't like other player

by the way very good post by fever pitch(definitely very encouraging one for indian fans)

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