Mohali Test: Day One Review

Finally, it did arrive, and not a moment too soon! The timing was impeccable, the stage set, and the Master delivered. Yeah, I’m talking about my pizza here.

But there was another Master, in every sense of the word, at work today, on another circular surface. Only this man was under the scrutiny of a billion people!

As usual, India were seen squandering a brilliant start, and Tendulkar saw India go from 146-1 to 163-4. Normal service had resumed, or so it seemed.

Sourav Ganguly and Tendulkar began, like all aged party, quite slowly. But these two began plundering the boundaries quite soon, Dada taking the initiative in the race of the veterans, spanking three gorgeous fours, all in his favourite region of the off side!

Tendulkar found his footing soon, though. A wonderfully carved cover drive early on off Mitchell Johnson got him settled down. After tea, the moment of the day arrived, with Tendulkar opening the face of the blade and running the ball down to third man to collect three runs, and in the process go two runs past Brian Lara’s 11953 runs.

Once all the noise and commotion died down, and play was ready to resume, Tendulkar and Ganguly started getting some quick singles in, and rotating the strike.

Once Ganguly’s barrage of boundaries dried down, Tendulkar took over, taking special liking for the debutant, Peter Siddle. The shot of the day, by far, was the punch down the ground.

A four down to fine leg brought up the Little Master’s 50th Test 50, and it looked like he was going to get a lot more than just that. A silly moment saw the Australian captain, partly due to the wicket-keeper’s lack of awareness, gift four to Tendulkar, who soon after created another piece of history, 12000 runs, when he scored his 61st run.

Tendulkar kept accelerating thereafter, charging and slamming Cameron White for a four, and then getting a boundary of Shane Watson too.

All this while Ganguly slowly plodded his way to his 35th Test 50, his 50th score of over 50 in Test cricket. He also went past a milestone of his own, when on 39, bringing up 7000 Test runs in his Test career.

The pair brought up yet another century partnership, truly, these are meant for each other on the cricket pitch, and the game was slipping away from Australia.

In the 82nd over, Peter Siddle was handed the new ball, to partner Brett Lee, in what might have been called a surprise decision. He was driven off the back foot in typical Tendulkar style for four runs of the first ball.

The second, Sachin was lucky, as another attempted back foot drive found the bottom edge, and pitched a few inches outside the off stump, before racing away for a four down to fine leg.

And tragedy struck soon after, when Tendulkar, who was by now just twelve short of a tenth hundred against Australia, and striking at 80 runs per 100 balls, got out, at slips, edging another attempted off-drive off the back foot!

Skipper Dhoni must have a darn good sense of humour! Remembering the nightmare that the Indian tail gave the Australians at Bangalore, sending in the weakest link in the tail as night-watchman can prove to be a match winning decision, if Sharma can ward off the new ball before making way for Dhoni tomorrow!

Earlier in the day, Anil Kumble’s injury paved the way for Amit Mishra to make his Test debut, and Mahendra Singh Dhoni immediately made his impact felt as captain, by winning the toss!

Electing to bat first, India was off to a rollicking start, with Sehwag sending all and sundry all around the PCA Stadium.

It was Johnson who got him out for 35 off just 36, at a time when it looked like he will take the match away from the Oz team in one session itself. It was almost a freak dismissal for the Nawab of Najafgarh, getting caught down the leg side, to a delivery he would put away for a boundary ninety-nine times out of a hundred!

At 76 for one, Dravid and Gambhir weaved together a fine partnership, and went to lunch without any more losses. Dravid was looking especially ominous, with a brilliant on drive being the pick of the lot. Gambhir gave him good company, but seemed to loose the plot a bit after the lunch interval.

At 146, disaster struck, as first Dravid dragged a short delivery onto his stumps, gifting Brett Lee his first wicket of the inning. Gambhir followed in the next over, playing a drive away from his body, and only managing a fine nick, Johnson picking his second wicket in the process.

By this time, the score had gone from 146 for one to 146-3. Laxman joined Tendulkar, and for a moment, it seemed the duo would pick up from where they left off at Bengaluru, Laxman playing some exquisite shots on either side of the ground, behind point and square leg.

But the tall man paid the price of his positivity, playing one shot too many, and falling in similar fashion to Sehwag, Mitchell Johnson doing the damage yet again.

India ended the day on 311 for five, Ganguly still in there on 54, and Sharma on two.

It was a record breaking day at Mohali, and the Test is already evenly poised, with all to play for tomorrow. India look to be heading towards a respectable total, least 400 one would think. But if Australia can “knock a few over” early with the new ball, they will be into the tail.

Saturday promises to be a great second day in this Test match.