The sinking of the Indian ship
Sandeep Hegde Alesar - 3 May 2002

The fragile Indian batting came undone at the seams with a spineless display on a bouncy Kensington Oval track at Bridgetown, Barbados, on Thursday. The third of the five-Test series against the West Indies saw the hosts puncture the Indian innings, after opting to field, for a paltry 102.

In reply, the West Indies ended the day on 33 for one, with Ramnaresh Sarwan (0) and Chris Gayle (14) at the crease. Zaheer Khan claimed the wicket of Stuart Williams in the final session before rain interrupted play for the fourth time on the day. In his very first over, the left-arm bowler angled the ball across Williams, who edged it to Wasim Jaffer at third slip. Jaffer held onto a sharp, low catch at his bootlaces. The rain interruptions allowed only 46.1 overs during the day; India batted 33.4 overs while the hosts faced 12.3.

The bias of the Kensington Oval is evident with even a single glance at the record book, which reads: 19 victories and three defeats in 37 Tests for the home team. The venue of the third of the five-Test series between India and the West Indies has been a cemetery for the Indians, who have lost six of the seven Tests they have played here. The most intimidating memory of the ground is the humiliation India suffered on the 1997 tour, when, chasing 120, they crumbled for 81 runs.

Former West Indian fast bowler Richard Edwards, who is in charge of the Kensington wicket, said that the covering of grass at the fast bowler's length could prove decisive in the game. The pitch was rolled with the plastic covering on so that the moisture could be retained and cracks prevented. Carl Hooper yet again called correctly at the toss and invited India to take first strike, hoping to pick some early wickets and seize the initiative. Sourav Ganguly seemed happy to bat, saying that he would have batted had he won the toss.

Hooper, though, won round one of the first day when Mervyn Dillon disrupted the wickets of Shiv Sunder Das off the first ball of the Test, nipping the ball back into the right-hand batsman and finding the gap between his bat and pad. Das walked back to the pavilion for a first-ball duck, underlining India's eternal dearth of opening Test batsmen.

Rahul Dravid then walked out to the middle with an infectious confidence following his successful run so far on the tour. Jaffer, the Mumbai opener who returned to international cricket after a gap of two years, seemed comfortable at the wicket, finding the fence with ease. His feet moved well, his balance impressed, and his back-foot play seemed tidy for an opening batsman. Two strokes off the back foot past point to the fence augured well for his reputation.

But history had to be proved right on a ground that is known for the loss of early wickets on the first day. Dillon, mixing up his length, drew Jaffer forward and found the edge to Ridley Jacobs behind the stumps. The keeper, who had lost his place to Junior Murray for the first two Tests, flew in front of first slip and took a great catch to justify his inclusion into the squad.

India were 26 for two, and Tendulkar was walking out for yet another damage-control exercise. Minutes later, the master batsman was walking back to the pavilion with yet another maiden personal milestone - back-to-back ducks in Tests. Bowling over the wicket, left-arm seamer Pedro Collins angled one across the little master, who, in a rare nervous moment, poked at the delivery with the bat miles away from his body, only for Jacobs to take a simple catch at the wicket. It was only the first time in 94 Tests that Tendulkar was out for duck in two successive innings.

Three wickets had gone inside the first hour of play, and though the wicket has a history of easing out as the day progresses, India sat tentatively with skipper Ganguly and Dravid at the wicket, and only VVS Laxman - their last recognized batsman - to come. Coach John Wright had mentioned earlier that his boys had a habit of relaxing after a big win, and that he had to guard against that all the time. Heavy downpour forced the teams to take an early lunch with India 35 for three.

When rain stopped and play resumed after lunch, India's misery continued. Dravid, the man capable of stemming the rot, was the next to go, for 17, following a senseless run-out. Shivnarine Chanderpaul's measured throw saw Cameron Cuffy, at the bowler's end, whip the bails off before the batsman could make his ground. VVS Laxman, India's hero at Port of Spain, followed him, bowled by Cuffy for one.

India had lost their first five wickets for only 51 runs. Ajay Ratra, out for a duck in both innings in the second Test, was the sixth wicket to fall after the addition of another 10 runs. He flashed at a good-length delivery from Dillon and edged to Jacobs, who took an excellent catch, diving to his right. Ratra made just one in India's score of 61 for six.

Ganguly, meanwhile, kept a cool head and played the ball on its merit, hitting a four and a six off Dillon off successive balls. Harbhajan Singh looked like offering some resistance as he found the fence twice, but his luck ran out as he attempted to pull a short ball from Adam Sanford. Dillon, at long leg, took a comfortable catch. Sanford picked his second wicket in his next over; he dug one in short to Zaheer Khan, who went back to play and offered a simple catch to Sarwan at forward short leg. He had made just four and India were 86 for eight. At tea, India were reeling at 97 for eight.

Now the question was whether India would reach the 100-run mark. Javagal Srinath came and went eight balls later without scoring, Dillon having him leg-before with a good yorker for his fourth wicket of the innings. Ganguly was the last to go, making 48; he got a thick edge to a delivery from Sanford. The ball flew high toward third man and looked like clearing the fence, but Dillon carefully followed it and held the ball even as he fell down. The third umpire ruled the catch clean, and Ganguly was out. India were all out for 102 in just 33.4 overs, Nehra remainingunbeaten without scoring. Dillon was the pick of the Windies bowlers, finishing with four wickets for 41 runs.

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