Rahul Dravid notched up his 31st Test century while captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni smashed his way to 98 as India reached a mammoth 566.
The dying daylight lengthened the shadows that eventually crept on to the pitch Rahul Dravid was batting on. It didn’t seem to dim the resolve of the untiring player, though.
This had been one of the many better times Dravid had spent at the crease. Having batted for most part of the sunny day and taken India to a winning position, he fell at 191 and walked back in the shade of the gigantic roof over the south end stand here at the VCA Stadium.
The shadows are not new for Dravid and it wouldn’t be outlandish to say it is possibly metaphorical of some of his big innings. Dravid’s highest Test score of 270, at Rawalpindi in 2004, was overshadowed by the blistering triple hundred Virender Sehwag scored in Multan in the same series. His unbelievable 180 in the second innings against Australia at Eden Gardens in 2001 was eclipsed by his even more unbelievable batting partner VVS Laxman. And there have been a few more.
When play began on Monday, the third day of the Test, it was not meant to be his day. Sachin Tendulkar, resuming from overnight 57, was expected to score his 50th hundred.
Dravid, overnight 69, was on his way to the three-figure mark. However, on the to-be-a-historic-day, his knock was meant to be a footnote.
However, Tendulkar fell to the third ball he faced. Debutant Andy McKay may have been praying for a chance to play the Test but he got a bonus. He bowled one short of length that was angling away. The batsman was on his toes trying to defend but the outside edge went straight to the wicketkeeper.
At stumps, New Zealand, in their second innings, were 24-1, trailing India’s first innings total by 349, after Dhoni had declared at 566/8.
Earlier, Tendulkar departed even before those spectators who had brought in the “100” placards could settle down in the stands. It is unlikely that India will bat again in this series. The 50th hundred will have to wait till South Africa.
When Tendulkar departed, the sun had just begun to shine. Dravid soon pulled McKay to the boundary. He was not going to be a footnote.
On the afternoon of Day Two, Dravid had shown the form he was in when he drove Tim Southee straight down the wicket for a four. He had one more classic drive reserved for Southee. A ball of good length on the leg, he elegantly sent it to the boundary between mid wicket and long on. He reached his 31st hundred with two runs playing Vettori off his pads.
While Dravid played in his inimitable classical style, captain MS Dhoni, at the other end, was brutal. He sent Mckay over long on for a six and in the same over, whacked one straight down to the fence. Struggling with cramps in his legs, he perished on 98.
Soon, Dravid failed to equal Brian Lara’s record of six double hundreds, when he lofted one to long on fielder, trying to up the scoring.
This is his second hundred of the series. Not so long ago, people were skeptical about his place in the team, but with this knock and South Africa looming large, Dravid has cleared those shadows.
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