The third and final cricket Test between India and Pakistan ended in a draw here on Wednesday.
Anil Kumble’s medium-pace raises visions of an unlikely Indian victory, before bad light helps Pakistan escape in the dying moments of the final Test. India win the three-match series 1-0
BANGALORE: It was a proverbial slip between the cup and the lip. India were on a victory march but lost way in fading light as Pakistan saw light in the darkness in the third Test here on Wednesday.
A few more overs and India could have made it 2-0 in the Indian Oil Cup three-Test series. They had to settle for 1-0 instead.
Anil Kumble could be blamed for delaying the declaration, but the bigger mistake by the Indian skipper was not waiting for Dinesh Kartik’s half-century in the second innings, but not rolling his arm over with seam upright in the first innings.
“Yes, in the hindsight, it perhaps was a mistake not bowling medium pace in the first innings,” Kumble admitted later.
Even as cold breeze wafted across the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday evening, Kumble enlivened the proceedings with a dream spell of 14 overs.
In no time, the Test, weary-n-dreary for most part, became an engrossing affair as India looked to be inching towards a fairytale victory. The home team needed only three wickets in the last 12 overs but dark clouds overhead had the last laugh.
Pakistan, chasing an impossible target of 374 in 48 overs, found themselves in dire straits, failing to read the medium pace of the Indian skipper who had taken 579 wickets with spin before this innings.
Now he has added another weapon to his armoury by bowling medium pace with seam upright. Pakistan ended the day with 162 for seven.
Kumble struck in regular intervals, taking two wickets in the 14th over of the Pakistan innings, dismissing Yasir Hameed and skipper Younis Khan in a gap of four deliveries. Soon he had Salman Butt caught behind and then removed Faisal Iqbal and Kamran Akmal off successive deliveries to raise hopes of an unlikely win.
The hopes were further strengthened by Yuvraj Singh, who broke the defence of Misbah-ul-Haq in his second over and then rattled the furniture of Yasir Arafat, reducing Pakistan to 154 for 7 to send the crowd into a tizzy.
Then, bad light intervened to drown their hopes.
Earlier, India showed no urgency to attack Pakistan bowlers as Sourav Ganguly (91) and Rahul Dravid (42) resumed from 131 for 2. Ganguly played some delightful shots and was set to add a century to his first innings’ double ton but lost concentration to a Mohammad Sami delivery.
Before him, Dravid was out, foxed by a Danish Kaneria googly. India soon lost first innings centurion Yuvraj (2) and VVS Laxman (retired hurt for 14) but Kartik (52) and Irfan Pathan (21 not out) took their sweet time to score runs.
The declaration finally came after 40 overs, when the wicketkeeper-batsman was out after reaching his half-century. India added 153 runs in 40 overs in the morning and afternoon sessions, giving themselves 48 overs to take 10 wickets.
That could be termed a defensive tactic but Kumble proved that they had enough overs to force a win.
Only if the light had permitted...
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