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ShareTest cricket is a very different ball game but there is nothing like a win to boost a team's morale. Victory is always good and especially when a team has been down like Pakistan were till the fourth game, it was pleasing to see the way they fought back.
Let me also say that both teams rested key players so to say that India gave away the
advantage is not correct or a fair assessment.
If Pakistan were without Younis Khan, Kamran Akmal, Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Akhtar, India too were missing Sourav Ganguly, Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh and R.P Singh.
It was a test of the bench strength on either side and I was pleased to see the way Pakistan's boys rose to the occasion.
Which brings me to the point that, I for one, could just not understand what was the Indian team's think-thank aiming at?
In today's highly competitive cricket, why did they not play their best side? It is far better to see a 4-1 score against your name than 3-2 as has happened.
When you have the enemy down, it is better to drive the advantage home. India did not do that and I am surprised that they opted for such tactics.
Pakistan will not complain. The win will have been a huge morale-booster for them and they will go into the first Test at the Kotla with that in the bag. Shoaib Malik has been under tremendous pressure but he came good at just the right time.
It was a captain's knock in every way. When you are not delivering yourself as a player, it is difficult to ask your team mates to step up.
And when you start to perform, the team also undergoes a change. A captain can then guide his players. Malik looked good and the scenario for his team changed altogether.
Pakistan were also fortunate to have found another pitch to suit their strength. Both matches they have won in the series were on quick and lively tracks -- Mohali and now Jaipur.
Once their batsmen had put on over 300 runs, India were always going to be under the hammer and the four early wickets India lost surely played a major role in Pakistan's win.
Overall, I would say Pakistan at last looked like a cohesive unit. It may not make a very big difference in the Test series but I am glad that they won the Jaipur game.
Simply put, it is better to win than it is to lose. I now look forward to the Test matches with interest for Pakistan have somewhat closed the gap on India.
--News Watch Asia
