It cannot get any worse than this

The first day of the second Test match between India and Pakistan was totally and comprehensively dominated by India. It was a pleasure to watch Jaffer, Dravid and Tendulkar execute a well thought-out plan. Let me also argue the defence for the Pakistan side:  a few key players were down with injuries, they were playing with a half-fit Shoaib and they lost the toss.

However, if you are a Test playing nation of the stature of Pakistan, you do not just depend on your playing eleven. Your bench should be eager and hungry to perform and you do not play half-fit players even if they are your star players. To be honest, I have rarely felt so bad while watching cricket as I did on the first day of the Kolkata Test. I can only say that this Pakistan team cannot play any worse than this - even if they tried.

In the past even if we had a lacklustre team - there were a few of those against India mind you - we fought every inch of the way. It was always “do or die” in the field. This time it seems a case of “die or surrender”!

Rarely can an international team have been so much at sea so early on in a Test match. Just a few days ago, we saw a very different side in Delhi. At the Kotla, Pakistan at least fought, and were in the match for the first three days. It was a different team then. Here, they appeared to have surrendered the initiative from the very first ball.

It is understandable that when a team has so many players down with some ailment or the other, like Pakistan has at present, it is difficult to put a playing unit on the field. But having gone into the match, there should have been some sort of a contest, a spirit of trying, a desire to show the opposition that despite the unavoidable injury and illness setbacks, Pakistan would fight. Sadly, none of that was apparent.

Having said that, let me also make the point that a big difference between these two teams is fitness. India have played more Test and ODI cricket than Pakistan, and yet are a much fitter side. On the other hand, even though Pakistan have played much less recently, they are unable to field an able unit. We are witnessing a result of that difference.

But back to the match. To start with, playing Shoaib Akhtar was a huge mistake. Obviously, the idea was to gamble on winning the toss and batting first to give him some extra rest. But then my question to that approach is, what is the guarantee they you would have lasted for even one day batting first?

Shoaib looked tired from the very first ball he bowled and it came as no surprise to me that he could only manage nine overs through the day. You simply cannot play someone who is half-fit. Shoaib was suffering from bronchitis and recovering from something like that is never easy or quick. Knowing this, Pakistan should have gone in with another spinner. Instead, we had Sohail Tanvir bowling left-arm spin. The same Tanvir that opened the bowling with Shoaib! That about sums up the state of this side.

The lack of depth in Pakistan cricket has been badly exposed here. When the team was picked, we were told that this was the best available talent. But given the way they have gone - losing an ODI series for the first time in India in 21 years and now likely to lose a Test series for the first time in 27 years - it is not a good enough answer. What are the captain, coach and selectors going to do now? Who will be accountable for this state of affairs?

At the same time, Wasim Jaffer’s innings was a sublime one. Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar may have got half-centuries, but his was a masterly display. He played strokes all round the wicket with effortless ease. The fact that no bowler was able to trouble him is an indication of the comfort with which he was batting. And in the end, no one will look at the bowling. They will only look at the scorecard and see that he made a huge score here.

More than anything else, I am worried about the fate of the series. In Delhi we saw some signs of a fight. Here it was surrender from Day One and if this carries on, the Bangalore game will be a disaster. Who wants to watch one-sided matches? Everybody wants to see competition. Winning or losing is not so important. But this is the worst possible advertisement for India-Pakistan cricket.