Irani Trophy Day 1: Too Bland for the Billing?

The malaise is eating into the biggest billed domestic tournament, the lung opener of the 2008-’09 series. Should it have been present in the first place and are the Australians have a good, long laugh?

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Self-preservation, the disease that sometimes becomes epidemic, was once more evident on the first day of the Irani Trophy and it certainly did not paint the Rest of India (ROI) team in a good light. While many would say the collapse in the final session on the first day did the ROI team in, they would only be partially right. The manner in which the ROI team started out after winning the toss and batting first, it made one wonder, if the Australians were involved in playing a domestic match of this nature, would they bat the same way?

Fear and apprehension can do different things to different people. It has become obvious now to all and sundry that the scars of the Sri Lankan tours refuse to disappear. The batting from the ROI was pathetic and that would be a kind word. Really while it may show Jaffer in the lone half century bracket, it was akin to watching the rest of the team batting for their life! Even on a not so easy pitch, it was obvious to see that the players were happier to tow the patient, almost doggedly defensive line rather than take the bolder route of making a statement. Their shot selections, therefore, resulted in soft, avoidable dismissals as they tried to switch gears midway to a more attacking style.

For one was looking for inspiration, it was time to look elsewhere. Rahul Dravid opened the batting for ROI alongside Wasim Jaffer. While they did not ignite the innings, the duo performed the role of steadfast anchors and nullified any opportunities that the Ranji Trophy champions, Delhi, expected in the early morning in Vadodara. But the symptoms began in the morning and took on disastrous proportions as the sun appeared to set.

Dravid appeared to be batting himself to form, each run made more painstakingly while Jaffer was hoping not to mess this opportunity knowing well that even Aakash Chopra in the Delhi team was not expecting to displace either member of India’s opening batsmen, Delhi skipper Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir. But the need to preserve one’s wicket in the hope to totter around longer to make a decent score seemed prominent on the top order’s mind.

The opening partnership of seventy-seven helped ROI cross the critical morning hour’s play but it failed to motivate the members in the pavilion to unleash. What follows was more defensive display and it was obvious that the fall from grace had to come sooner rather than later as the ROI batsmen played themselves right into the hands of the Delhi bowlers. To think that Ishant Sharma looked actually tired and frustrated in only his twelfth over of the day caused concern; but the manner in which the ROI team batted, it could not have provided any immediate solutions that the selectors would have been looking for with regards to filling in a couple of stats in the Indian line up.

India hopeful Subramaniam Badrinath played on while V.V.S. Laxman once showed his impetuosity trying to hit Sehwag out of the ground but ended up only giving away his wicket. The rot started thereafter as ROI lost five wickets for twenty-five runs. Had it not been for Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan and R.P. Singh, the scorecard would have read far worse than 252. Ishant Sharma shared the spoils of three wickets apiece with Pradeep Sangwan and Chetanya Nanda.

Delhi managed to see through the day to stumps unbeaten on twenty, Sehwag interestingly allowing Aakash Chopra to open with Gautam Gambhir. ROI have it all to do and hopefully Delhi will see the merit of stepping out and showing more gumption to worry the close watching Australians. Need to breathe new life in this season warmer!