Cricket Rewind – Indo-Pak Chennai Classic

Prelude

The historic bi-lateral test series between India and Pakistan in 10 years got off to a sizzling start in the winter of ’99. What better place to host the match than Chepauk? The hallowed turf that almost always produces a result and ensures an even contest between bat and ball. Pakistan won the toss, batted and were dismissed for 200-odd before stumps on Day 1. India’s repartee matched Pakistan’s efforts and effectively reduced the match to a one-inning contest. Pakistan’s 2^nd innings total was largely due to a typical blitzkrieg from Afridi who scored half of his team’s 286 and overshadowed Prasad’s excellent 5-fer on a 3^rd day Chepauk strip. India needed 271 to wrest the initiative in a titanic series, if ever there was one. Time? More than anyone could ask for. Two full days and a few uncomfortable overs in twilight to take a 1 – 0 lead.

The D-Day

This was a Sunday unlike any. If you needed proof, you needed to be around Marina Beach. The normally buzzing beach-front was as calm as the Bay of Bengal by which it sits. The maidan cricket games by the shore, conspicuous by their absence, bore testimony to the marbles at stake just a mile or two away at Chepauk. Two bitter foes to battle it out for a historic Test victory. Both teams had enough reasons to back themselves. India needed 231 runs with Dravid, Sachin, Azhar, Sourav, Mongia and the Chennai crowd rooting for them and they were going against the skilful (if not plain scary!) trio of Wasim, Waqar, and Saqlain.

The throng of spectators outside the gates of the stadium was a sight to behold. They arrived in every possible way, walk, bicycles, two-wheelers, cars and the metro’s game-day buses. Most were in search of those non-existent tickets. A few managed to get in, many could not. You could feel the tension in the air, it was palpable. Though all ticket-holders had a seat in theory, this was an all-day “stand, watch and applaud” affair and guess what, nobody was complaining!

Act One

At a minute or two to 10 o’clock, Dravid and Sachin walked out to a deafening ovation that echoed all across India. This was a time when Dravid was still a man who had answers to most good balls, but did not always reap the rewards by penalizing the bad ones. With time out of the equation, India’s strategy must have been Dravid sealing one end up and others batt(l)ing around him to get that win. As is his wont, Wasim Akram stood in the way. With his signature short run-up and acceleration that would put a Kentucky Derby thoroughbred to shame, he made Dravid’s life a misery. He amply demonstrated his sorcery with the ball with two deliveries that he bowled to Dravid. The first one, swung in late, and a close LBW shout was negated. Akram must believe in euthanasia, for he decided to end Dravid’s misery the next ball. This one pitched in line but swung the other way and dislodged the off bail and just like that, Akram threw a spanner in India’s works.

Azhar came and went. Sourav suffered a freak non-dismissal. One of his fierce cuts ricocheted off silly-point and bounced in front of ‘keeper Moin, at which point, he swept it off the ground and as expected, appealed! A casual spectator on the top tier sipping piping hot masala chai could have seen this. Somehow, umpire Ramaswamy at square-leg, with his dark sun-glasses on, could not, and Sourav was back in Anna Pavilion. At that moment, I thought, yes, we do need two neutral umpires in all games! Whatever happened to “Benefit of the doubt to the batsman” adage that has been one of the tenets of cricket since time immemorial.

The Resurrection

India was on the back foot at this juncture, for sure. With Sachin and Mongia at the crease and 190 more runs to get, it was going to be an uphill climb. Wicket of Mongia would have made it a torturous climb with no oxygen tanks! Sachin’s wicket, well… we all know the climax to that plot and its better left unsaid. Saqlain’s bowling was like a beautiful “Urdu Shaayri” in the second essay. His metronomic consistency in length complemented by the variety of off-spinners and doosras. The Master had to play with caution and Saqlain had the command for a considerable length of time. The cat-and-mouse game was on and the two of them swapped roles quite often. One cannot even begin to verbalize the pressure that Sachin must have felt on his over-burdened back, having carried India to the Promised Land, many a time. Sachin played a lot of ground strokes and kept feeling his back. He played a copybook defensive shot and winced. He uncorked a gorgeous drive and winced again. Something was amiss. In the joy of watching India creep closer to the target, the back incident did not register in any of the fans’ minds. With chants to Sachin, The God, and drum rolls as punctuations, life was all hunky-dory again in the stands and across the nation.

Denouement

Mongia, who played a good hand, got out to a bizarre, uncharacteristic stroke and left the door ajar. Sachin’s spasms were now clearly bothering him and a till now, cautious, monk-like Sachin decides to back his genius and instinct to go for the last 50 runs in aggressive fashion. His back was probably a major reason and Mongia’s dismissal just made the decision easier. The aggressive approach imparted pain and pleasure in equal measure to the fans. It was stuff not meant for the faint-hearted. Only 17 runs were now required and the moment, that fateful moment, that every Indian feared most, happened. Sachin goes for one too many off Saqlain and miscues one to Akram at mid-off. As the ball made its way down, the will of 40,000 people at Chepauk and a billion all over India, could not make Akram drop the skier. Sachin was pain-stricken, in every sense of the word. There was still hope that the tail would knock off the runs, but, unsurprisingly, it proved to be an ephemeral one. The 3 remaining bowlers were dismissed like the 3 remaining pins that you topple to get a “spare” at a bowling alley.

Epilogue

A distinct “hush” fell over Chepauk. As the Pakistanis kissed the turf in celebration of victory, fans didn’t know how to react. Just then, Pakistan Coach Javed “wily” Miandad, displays the temerity to coax his team to take a victory lap around the ground. Under normal circumstances, it is not a huge incendiary gesture. However, given the long standing animosity between the nations, and Miandad’s character (or lack thereof), his gesture was clearly aimed at instigating the crowd. What followed still gives me the Goosebumps. The Chennai crowd instantaneously broke out into an applause acknowledging the efforts of both embattled teams in general and the victory-lapping Pakistanis in particular. This can neither be planned nor be taught. This sort of reaction is innate and is a manifestation of the culture of the city, and to an extent, the country. Many Pakistanis were in fact very pleasantly surprised (including Miandad and Akram). They were expecting a neutral reaction, at best. It makes me proud to say that I’m a Chennai-ite and an Indian. It is often quoted that “Cricket” was the true winner. It was apt on this occasion.

In hindsight, I always wonder what would have happened, had Dravid been in Sachin’s role, late Sunday. Would Dravid have endured the pain and ground out his way to ensure an Indian victory? I say this because he could not have made the decision to back his talent and aggression against Saqlain, Akram and Waqar, as Sachin did (fair assumption). Mind you, I’m not questioning the commitment of either Great. Sachin simply had two options and Dravid just one. Sachin went for the quick fire option. Did Sachin’s decision cost him and India? On the other hand, we did witness the collapse of the tail. So, was Sachin vindicated? We can only ponder, we will never know.