Weak decision by Rahul Dravid

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 18:23:35 +0200

The decision of not putting England to follow on for the last Test of the India-England series at oval puzzled experts and fans alike ; Indian fans were puzzled and frustrated while English fans were puzzled and overjoyed......but everyone was puzzled nevertheless !!

This ridiculous decision taken by Indian captain Rahul Dravid just denied India their well deserved 2-0 victory over England. When England finished their 1st. innings they were trailing behind India by 319 runs. How many times do you get a situation like this in Test cricket? And if you do not impose the follow on even in that situation then when actually do you do that?

People in big cities and small towns in India were asking these questions as were experts like Micheal Holding and Ravi Shastri in the commentary box.

England obviously grabbed this unexpected good luck with both hands and made a fantastic use of the extra swing available that morning. The very very slow (12 runs in 96 balls) batting by Dravid in the second innings was equally inexplicable.

After the match, when Indians were celebrating the 1-0 series victory, I was thinking of the famous Indian victory at Lords in Natwest final.

Well, it seems we have left those days of guts and courage far, far behind !

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