For India, it’s back to the Viru factor

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For India, it’s back to the Viru factor

A Test down in the series, India will turn to Sehwag to crack the code in Durban


India finally got down to the business end of their preparations for the second Test match against South Africa that starts here Sunday. The highlight of their four-hour mandatory training session was a discourse given by Gary Kirsten and Sachin Tendulkar to the batsmen.


They were talking shot selection on the interesting-looking green Kingsmead pitch.


Everybody reckons the wicket will have a good carry and bounce, but the hosts themselves have a few gremlins to deal with having lost to Australia and England here in the last two Test matches. Tendulkar, who’s played here as recently as September during the Champions League, was briefing his teammates on when to and when not to play horizontal shots on this pitch. The basic idea, he was suggesting, was to judge the trajectory of the ball before committing to the shot.

It’s anybody’s guess what is in store for the Indians when Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn are put in operational mode.

Indications are that Cheteshwar Pujara will replace Suresh Raina. The No 6. slot has been a cause for concern ever since Sourav Ganguly called it a day. Yuvraj Singh and Raina, both contenders for the position, haven’t really inspired confidence, although there’s no clarity on why the more experienced Yuvraj isn’t here.

But India’s chances depend on how much impact Virender Sehwag has in the Test. You don’t need a straw poll to find out who this Indian team is banking on to crack the code at Durban.

Terrific Year

Zaheer Khan is set to return at Durban
Such is the scare he creates in the minds of the opposition, they have an extended session on how to bowl to him. Ever since he staged a comeback in Tests three years ago (at Perth), Sehwag has been at the forefront of most Test victories.

His opening salvo not only paves the way for the middle order to capitalise, it also gives the Indian bowlers sufficient times to dismiss the opposition twice.

That India is heavily dependent on him was endorsed by South Africa captain Graeme Smith.

Runs for the taking

Sehwag, it is understood, is geared up to bat on this pitch as he believes it has plenty of runs for the taking.

Narendra Hirwani’s heart-to-heart conversation with Harbhajan Singh was another feature on the nets. The off-spinner was guilty of giving away too many runs in the last game, and Hirwani was showing Harbhajan the merits of bowling a little fuller length.

The Indians will be buoyed by the fact that Zaheer Khan is fit and ready to have a crack at the South Africans. They will also benefit from his presence on the field as he plays a huge role in plotting a wicket. With two rookie seamers Jaidev Unadkat and Umesh Yadav in the ranks, India do not have adequate reserves in the bowling even if they weren’t too pleased with S Sreesanth and Ishant Sharma’s efforts in the first Test. Ishant clearly looks out of rhythm.

In the nets yesterday he repeatedly missed his run up and was falling over which clearly indicates his landing problems. MS Dhoni has little choice but to persist with the tried and tested.