The chill in the breeze is inescapable here. Even in the middle of a mid-summer day, one can feel a wintry cold. On the final day of the first Test here on Monday, India must have realised some chilling realities about English weather and cricket. Jimmy Anderson & Co have become too hot to handle. More than the 196-run defeat, the manner of India's surrender was galling. The final day's play raised doubts over India's ability to withstand the home team's rampaging fast bowlers. The series will provide an acid test to India's batting. Anderson embarked upon a sustained and intense attack on the Indian batsmen and walked away with the most precious wickets in the Indian line-up. Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar, with 100 centuries over 450 Tests between them, fell to the accuracy, tenacity, guile and perseverance of the Lancashire pacer. He ended up with figures of five for 65 but both his pace colleagues — Stuart Broad and Chris Tremlett — looked equally dangerous. India needed Dravid and Laxman to stay long to save the Test. But Dravid, fresh from his classy first innings century, inexplicably went into shell at the start of the day. It allowed the English pacers to dictate terms. He managed to add only two runs in 20 balls to his overnight score of 34. Anderson, relentless in his attack, induced an edge from Dravid. Laxman completed his half-century playing some fluent shots in the morning but perished going for a needless pull. He would have done well for himself and the side with a bit of restraint. He was caught playing a pull off Anderson. Gautam Gambhir, who batted at No 4, looked positive initially but Graeme Swann, the best spinner in the world currently, trapped him plumb in front of the wickets. Gambhir made 22. Sachin Tendulkar, with great expectations from him, was off colour on Monday. He was visibly unwell and his foot movements were not as nimble as they generally are. England bowlers tied Tendulkar down with some accurate bowling. At one stage, he was static for 47 minutes and 39 balls before Anderson trapped him with an in-swinger. Off the previous ball, Tendulkar had a reprieve in the slips and prior to that he had survived a close leg before shout. Tendulkar made 12. Suresh Raina, playing his first Test at Lord's, provided the lone resistance for India but it was too little if not too late. The left-handed batsman, playing his 12th Test, stood up to the English attack. But he too fell to Anderson's dangerous movement. Raina, playing his first Test in England, made 78. Skipper MS Dhoni came but fell to the pace of Tremlett after England took the second new ball. Broad too tested the Indians with his pace and full length deliveries. He came hard at the Indians and was unlucky to have not got Tendulkar's wicket. He removed Praveen Kumar and Ishant Sharma in quick succession to hasten India's defeat. India now go to Trent Bridge for the second Test with problems over the availability of Zaheer Khan. They had won in Trent Bridge last time the team was here in 2007. Unless they repeat that performance, the No 1 ranking might slip away from them. |
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