For a dead rubber, the Sydney Test is creating a lot of interest. Yesterday I went to the SCG to see the teams do net practice.
Many were present just to watch the rivals having a hit, as bowlers tested them with bouncers.
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The most popular among them was the recently retired Test player MS Dhoni. Wherever he went he was cheered “Dhoni, Dhoni”.
For someone labelled “spoilt brat”, Virat Kohli impressed many present at the press conference, answering curly questions with a straight bat.
When asked as to why the players giving “verbals” were not fined, he replied that it meant that none of them crossed the line.
It appeared that under the dynamic and in-form Kohli, India will fight to the end in the Sydney Test starting today.
It took my mind back to January 1978 when India, under Bishan Bedi, won the Sydney Test by an innings.
This was India’s first victory over Australia by an innings home or away. It was also the first time since England’s tour of 1954-55 that Australia had lost two consecutive home Tests – a week earlier India had won the Melbourne Test by 222 runs.
Fast forward to India’s tour of Australia in 2007-08, the series remembered more for controversies than cricket, especially the second Test in Sydney. It will especially be recalled for coining of new words, ‘Bollyline’ and ‘Monkeygate’ in the cricketing vocabulary.
Poor umpiring decisions and cultural ignorance made this match one of the most unpleasant in Test history. Was it wheels within wheels or much ado about nothing? Whereas Bodyline was planned months in advance, Bollyline just happened.
As Greg Baum wrote in Wisden 2008, “Bollyline in Sydney will go down in history as a kind of cricketing six day war. It was too real and nasty while it was happening, but it was over almost as soon as it had begun.”
Was spinner Harbhajan Singh calling Andrew Symonds a ‘monkey’ or ‘teri maki’ (a swear word in Hindi language); was it a racist comment or a sledge?
With Symonds scoring an unbeaten 162, Australia made 463.
The highlight for India in this Test was Sachin Tendulkar scoring his third successive Test hundred at the SCG. His unbeaten, chanceless and faultless innings of 154 brought his average on SCG, his favourite ground, to 221.33.
He added 108 for the fourth wicket with Sourav Ganguly (67) and 129 for the ninth wicket with Harbhajan (63) and India totalled 532, to gain a 69-run lead a few minutes before stumps on Day 3.
Australia declared at 7 for 401, Matthew Hayden (123) and Mike Hussey (145 not out) dominated by adding 160 aggressive runs for the third wicket. Hussey seemed lucky to be given not out when on 22 and 45.
Harbhajan did cartwheels when he dismissed Ricky Ponting for one run, for the second time in this Test and for the third time in a row. Symonds chipped in with 61 and was eventually adjudged the man of the match.
India was challenged to make 333 to win in 72 overs on the final day. At one stage the match appeared to be heading for a draw but clever spin bowling from Symonds (3/51) and part-timer Michael Clarke (3 wickets for 5 runs in 1.5 overs) and India was all out for 210, losing by 122 runs with nine minutes remaining.
Australia led 2-0 with two Tests to go. It was Australia’s 16th Test win in a row and Ponting’s men celebrated with gusto.
Will Steven Smith’s men celebrate with equal gusto on Saturday, or will Kohli’s do-or-die performers go for a win at any cost?
And will a new word, ‘Kohliline’, be coined in cricket literature?
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