SO that was it. Pakistan pushed Australia hard, but did not have enough firepower to finish the job in the best-of-three VB Series finals. In the end it was a case of expecting too much from Abdul Razzaq and Shahid Afridi, most of the top order having failed to make their presence felt. It is still to the credit of the two that they kept Pakistan in the hunt while they were at the crease.
If nothing else, the level of self-belief in the team was visibly higher in the last few games of the series, which was evident from the fact that it continued to hang on while the game was seemingly over. It may be a little beside the point, but this is one more occasion for me to repeat my longstanding argument about the futility of appointing high-profile coaches with the senior string. After all, it was the same bunch of players which had been losing matches in the early part of the series, but then turned things around when pushed to the wall, facing the prospect of not even making it to the finals. When it comes to international cricket, it is up to the players to perform once they take the field.
Regardless of what happened in Australia, the players will do well to put it behind them as quickly as they possibly can. There is hardly any time left for another intense outing. In Australia, the team had come across a professional challenge against a side that was, and remains, much better in all respects. In India, the challenge will be slightly different, as the two sides are more or less similar in strengths, but the pressure of avoiding at all costs a second straight touring disaster would give the team a tough time of its own.
The Indians have more or less a balanced and settled side, the only slots possibly up for grabs being those of an opener to partner Virender Sehwag, and that of the wicketkeeper. Other than that, their bowling and batting order is firmly in place. This certainly has advantages of its own. In contrast, Pakistan has no such luxury, with almost everything open for discussion, as no one is sure, for instance, about the bowling attack, the all-rounder of choice, the openers and so on.
When the team for Australia was announced, I had forewarned that Pakistan would have serious problems at the top of the batting order. Frankly, it did not need a professional understanding of, say, rocket science to draw that conclusion. I am sure most people with any degree of interest and understanding of the game would have felt the same way. It was a highly debatable selection, for sure, and it failed to deliver, as was feared. It would be interesting to see what lessons the selectors have learnt from this.
The playing conditions in India would not be much different from what we have in our own backyard, the only difference being in the amount of spin that the wickets are likely to take in the presence of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh. The Indians themselves have not performed at their best in the last few months. In fact, they have had a lean period ever since they came out of hibernation after a successful tour of Pakistan. At the start of yet another season, it is an anxious wait for all of us to see whether or not they come out stronger after a lean season. We will soon know that.
SO that was it. Pakistan pushed Australia hard, but did not have enough firepower to finish the job in the best-of-three VB Series finals. In the end it was a case of expecting too much from Abdul Razzaq and Shahid Afridi, most of the top order having failed to make their presence felt. It is still to the credit of the two that they kept Pakistan in the hunt while they were at the crease.
