By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

After the rather seemingly emphatic victory in the first Test, India went back to its old ways as South Africa staged a brilliant comeback despite weather and unpredictable time schedules to pull the advantage right back home. It appeared all seemed even as the teams head to Newlands, Cape Town for the third and final Test. That all changed with one look at the pitch.

Dubbed an “Indian” pitch, Graeme Smith and South Africa knew they had a match on their hands as Rahul Dravid won the toss and promptly decided to bat on a pitch appeared to be a flat deck, that would aid heavy run scoring. But it did not mean that India went into the match worry free. In fact the intensity surrounding Virender Sehwag’s inclusion was so high that retaining him needed some quick thinking. Alongside injury to Mahendra Singh Dhoni and the desperate need to bring back Munaf Patel, there were only more conundrums for the Indian team management.

The last roll of the dice would have to save Sehwag and that was to drop him down the order. But for that to open, a few other members would have to stake their Test career without even the knowledge of knowing if they would have another chance. The onus this time fell on the replacement wicket keeper Dinesh Kaarthick. Kaarthick was not considered a part of the bigger picture in the presence of Dhoni. And despite the gauntlet to take on the role of opening the batting alongside Wasim Jaffer, the young man from the South had no idea when he would have the opportunity to represent India again in the aftermath of this match with Dhoni most likely to return at the earliest possible opportunity.

Perhaps in the end, Sehwag would have felt he missed out on an opportunity to make a smashing century, but then, given his rather pathetic form of late, even the forty runs he scored in the first innings alongside a rickety but run heavy Sourav Ganguly would have been a welcome gift. But there was Sachin Tendulkar kick starting the new year with a half-century, unlike last year. But even that had to wait while Jaffer scored a fine century and made himself a noticeable name on this tour. South Africa’s worst fears came true as the Indian batsmen stuck to their task and the first day’s indications spelt a long grind for South Africa.

But South Africa did strike back on the second day. But the trick lay in the fact that South Africa’s debutant spinner Paul Harris picked up four wickets after a long period of work on the field. It meant India still had the comfort of 400 plus runs and that they had one world class spinner in the form of Anil Kumble that could together spell trouble for the hosts in the final decider. The only thing perhaps that lay heavy on Indian minds was perhaps if they should have played Harbhajan Singh as well?

The question may have only grown in size as Smith and Hashim Amla batted with ease after the early dismissal of AB de Villiers and batted South Africa right through the close of play on day two. Nearly buried under the load of criticism for his personal form, Smith went through the patient period on the docile pitch and nearly pulled off a century in more than year only for fall six runs short of the mark. As it often happens, the fall of the partnership invariably brings about the downfall the other protagonist of the partnership. Amla quickly followed his skipper back to the pavilion and once again, it was all up to the hosts to rebuild the innings and for two new men to take up the charge.

If only India found the same combination to see through the difficultly poised second innings. Graeme Smith has taken his fair share of criticism for the drop in runs. But he fought back in a manner that will leave the impression of the captain and the coach on a high! His valuable overnight stay and his partnership with Shaun Pollock, who incidentally came in with two wickets down, played out the role to perfection. The reward was a demoralizing experience for the Indians.

Surprisingly on the Indian pitch, few things worked to their advantage. Jacques Kallis may have been lucky to have survived a caught behind on the leg side. But India would taste no slice of the luck after their batting collapse in the second innings. Poised to set a target with a forty-one run lead, the innings began and ended in chaos. From the early fall of the promoted Virender Sehwag, to the controversial near time out of Sachin Tendulkar for want of better understanding and Ganguly’s abrupt promotion and unlikely role of a hero, to the seven ball last over that saw three Indian wickets fall, there was a complete betrayal of strategy and an inept approach to such a pivotal position from where India could have dictated terms to the hosts and handed them humiliation.

The rain came back to create more drama on a precipitous day five. Such was its presence that at one point, the threat seemed real that India may just get away with a draw and that the series would end insipidly. But the long delay failed to prevent South Africa’s desperate need for victory. Sadly the body language did not quite same that for the Indians, even though South Africa had to delicately thread their way through a much deserved victory.

In the end, it seemed one team wanted to win at all costs; the other was too weary to even contemplate a win. India yet again trudges back a disgruntled loser. And the lessons continue to yell. Is anyone listening? India now goes home for a difficult little period in the build up the world cup and the Test scenario may once again be shelved on the backburner. Does India have it to pull off what now seems a miracle to step forward confidently on the road to the world cup? The wait is tantalizing!