Gambhir leads India's fight for survival
Monday, 30 March 2009
Gautam Gambhir's unbeaten 102 won't be released on a highlights DVD anytime soon, but it was an invaluable contribution to his team's cause. Thwarting Daniel Vettori's canny guile and staving off everything New Zealand threw at him, Gambhir constructed his fifth and most attentive century - and his first outside the subcontinent - to help India crawl towards their distant goal of saving the Napier Test.
Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar weighed in with crucial innings, and the fact that New Zealand's only wicket Sunday was because of an umpiring error was indicative of India's control.
It was a tough, combative performance from India's batsmen while New Zealand were disciplined, rather than dangerous, and gave away only 205 runs in the day. But they lacked the edge to roll India over a second time on a track which was getting easier to bat on. When Dravid departed because of a wrong call shortly before tea India trailed by 178 runs. Mild shadows were already spreading across McLean Park when Tendulkar began to steadily build on the base built by Dravid and Gambhir.
In the same over, Tendulkar scampered a single to raise his fifty off 89 balls and Gambhir skipped down and collected four over mid-on to reach his hundred. He didn't stop there and ensured he batted through the day.
Against England in Mohali, Gambhir had batted 214 balls for his century. Unlike Dravid, who has a reservoir of patience, Gambhir had to restrain himself and he did so admirably. Gambhir hit two flowing boundaries in the first 45 minutes of the day - square drives off Chris Martin and Iain O'Brien - but then crawled along. A naturally attacking batsman against spin , Gambhir had to adopt a restrained approach against two crafty slow bowlers. It was captivating.
You could sense he wanted to go after Jeetan Patel yet had to curb his aggression. So if the ball was wide he mostly resisted playing and repeatedly thrust his pad at it. There was only one anxious clip to mid-on and one hit over mid-off for four against Patel. He crossed 2000 Test runs today, the third fastest Indian to do so after Virender Sehwag. Known for his flair, Gambhir proved he could be dour, a trait India will be thankful for.
— Cricinfo
Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar weighed in with crucial innings, and the fact that New Zealand's only wicket Sunday was because of an umpiring error was indicative of India's control.
It was a tough, combative performance from India's batsmen while New Zealand were disciplined, rather than dangerous, and gave away only 205 runs in the day. But they lacked the edge to roll India over a second time on a track which was getting easier to bat on. When Dravid departed because of a wrong call shortly before tea India trailed by 178 runs. Mild shadows were already spreading across McLean Park when Tendulkar began to steadily build on the base built by Dravid and Gambhir.
In the same over, Tendulkar scampered a single to raise his fifty off 89 balls and Gambhir skipped down and collected four over mid-on to reach his hundred. He didn't stop there and ensured he batted through the day.
Against England in Mohali, Gambhir had batted 214 balls for his century. Unlike Dravid, who has a reservoir of patience, Gambhir had to restrain himself and he did so admirably. Gambhir hit two flowing boundaries in the first 45 minutes of the day - square drives off Chris Martin and Iain O'Brien - but then crawled along. A naturally attacking batsman against spin , Gambhir had to adopt a restrained approach against two crafty slow bowlers. It was captivating.
You could sense he wanted to go after Jeetan Patel yet had to curb his aggression. So if the ball was wide he mostly resisted playing and repeatedly thrust his pad at it. There was only one anxious clip to mid-on and one hit over mid-off for four against Patel. He crossed 2000 Test runs today, the third fastest Indian to do so after Virender Sehwag. Known for his flair, Gambhir proved he could be dour, a trait India will be thankful for.
— Cricinfo