Positive thinking was the key

The victory in the Delhi Test should rank among India's best efforts in recent times since it was not achieved on a `tailor made pitch.'

The key obviously was the positive thinking, reflected in the unexpected declaration on the fourth day. This indeed is the way to go about things.

Sourav Ganguly's men truly believed they could defeat the Zimbabweans and accomplished the feat in style, bowling the visitors out and then cantering home.

Rahul Dravid made a fine double hundred, Sachin Tendulkar reached the three-figure mark, but the hero of India's win has to be Javagal Srinath.

In what was a fiery display of pace bowling on a pitch that offered little to the bowlers of his ilk, Srinath demolished the myth that spinners alone were trump cards on the sub- continental wickets.

A fast bowler, if he has the heart and the ability to overcome unhelpful conditions, could be more than a handful as the Karnataka paceman proved.

It is time that we acknowledge the contribution of this spirited performer who is approaching hundred Test wickets in India, a tremendous feat in itself.

It was Srinath's burst that shook the Zimbabweans in a situation where a good early partnership might have enabled them to achieve a draw.

Srinath gave Zimbabwe no breathing pace early on and that set the tone for the innings. The visitors finally wilted under the pressure.

Coming to Rahul Dravid, he played a lot more shots in this Test and this should be his approach in the matches to come, especially against tougher opponents like Australia.

A Test double hundred is a special achievement and the fact that he completed 3000 runs in Test cricket during the match would have made the occasion doubly special for this hard-working cricketer.

The Zimbabweans depend too much on a couple of batsmen and ultimately paid the price. The bowling lacks sting and the visitors could well try the young paceman Travis Friend, who was impressive in Sharjah, for the next Test to bolster the attack.

So the Indians have come roaring back for the second successive time in a Test match after allowing the opposition to score over 400 runs in the first innings. They have displayed a steely resolve in the process.

K. SRIKKANTH

www.krishsrikkanth.com

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