How Not To Win - The Indian Way Part II

Bangalore, India. Third Test of the Indian Oil Test Cricket series. December 08-12, 2007. Pakistan vs. India. Day five.

India had a lead of 221 runs with eight wickets in hand at the start of play. It was expected that a lead of 300 plus runs would be safe on the unpredictable pitch and for that India was expected to bat at the most till the lunch break allowing themselves two sessions to try get ten Pakistani wickets.

But the thinking was the other way round. India led the series 1-0 and series win was the absolute aim. That too, after 28 years-India never won a home series against Pakistan in those years. So, Pakistan should not be given even an impossible chance to come back and level the series. Winning the series 2-0 was hardly an objective.

And, in came the Indian batsmen to bat even after lunch with more than 325 runs ahead. Such was the will. Someone commented the new Indian captain wanted to help a player to get to his fifty so that he got selected for the next tour (And dear me, he indeed got selected the same evening after the match!). Whatever it was the new captain just followed the long cherished tradition.

The huge crowd grew restless. Cameras captured placards beseechingly vocal, 'Please declare'. The placard holders demonstrated if it was not done they would go to sleep. But there was no effect. The Indian innings went for more than an hour when at long last the inevitable happened. The captain signaled the batsmen back as he thought maybe 374 runs in 48 overs would be utterly impossible to get. He was prepared for a draw and was elated for a now certain series win, his very first series as a captain. The spectators gave up and were dejected.

And then things started to happen. Pakistan was reduced to 162 for 7 with eleven overs to go. The captain himself got five scalps. Now he must have realized a win was indeed a distinct possibility.

But this time nature intervened. She said to Team India loud and clear 'Hey guys! You never wanted to win! Now why are you so eager! You just cannot win now!'

The sky suddenly got clouded and light deteriorated. There was the inevitable appeal from the Pakistani batsmen. The umpires had to accept. Play help up with the Indian players refusing to leave the field. Still eleven overs to go. The eager wait continued and finally the game's fate was sealed.

History continues to repeat itself for Team India. Still, nobody learns from it. Margins of win never bother them. When they take an invincible lead in either test or one day cricket series they start making all kinds of experiments digging up players from nowhere in the pursuit of having more options and always end up losing the remaining matches. A comparison between Australia and India would fully demonstrate the point.