Fitting end to master Sachin Tendulkar

Mumbai: “We didn't turn up, we didn't turn up,“ Darren Sammy kept repeating at the postTest media conference. He meant his team were not in the game because they were not competitive while also conceding that they had 'gifted' runs to Rohit Sharma and wickets to Pragyan Ojha. Coming in at a lowly No. 9 for a West Indies captain with some claim to batting ability, Sammy was another virtually anonymous member of the second collapse in the Test that left India victors by an innings and 126 runs and enough time to complete some Herculean task like climbing Mt. Everest.

 

As the happy hosts, India were streets ahead in both contests, the second being a particularly memorable one as it also celebrated Sachin Tendulkar's 200th Test. The spinners met the minimum of resistance in wrapping up proceedings on Saturday morning, play being extend ed beyond scheduled lunch to help Shami to chip in with the last wicket with a spectacular middle stumpcartwheeling indipper. The eyes then switched to Sachin who sought a souvenir stump most eagerly before walking into the arms of his colleagues, one by one, even as they formed a guard of honour.

 

The West Indies knew they were here for the Sachin celebration and they were willing participants. But what worries their sporting skipper, who even generously conceded that “India taught us how to play Test cricket“, is the manner in which the batting collapsed four times in two three-day Tests. 'Man of the match' Ojha cleaned up the Windies with a 10wicket Test haul he thoroughly deserved for pegging away at a length and doing his utmost to cash in on the opportunity the wily left arm orthodox spinner had spotted. Bowling somewhat quicker than is his wont, he let line and length help him do the job better in Mumbai.

 

The two spinners who have formed a strategic partnership at home in the classical tradition of Indian cricket -Ravichandran Ashwin and Ojha -are now number four in the list of successful spin tandem acts, their combined haul being 148 wickets in 25 home innings. Their task may have been eased considerably by the West Indian batsmen giving it away rather easily with Samuels setting the mood in the morning by giving Ojha the charge only to be stumped by Dhoni who had so much time he could have had a cup of tea and then remove the bails.

 

The residual interest was whether the T20 specialist, who incidentally also has a couple of 300-plus Test scores, Chris Gayle, would do some damage to the bowlers even in this hopeless setting. One mid wicket drive played in indolent fashion for six was one fine blow he struck before he refused to move his feet when he reached for a cut that he nicked to Dhoni.

 

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