Sehwag unhappy with 309, Tendulkar displeased with 194

[chinaman]

Most test batsmen would be delighted with 309, let alone 194 not out. Neither Virender Sehwag nor Sachin Tenduklar, however, were left satisfied on Monday.

Sehwag, the first India player to make a test triple century during the first innings of the first test against Pakistan, was irritated with himself. He said his eye had been on Australian Matthew Hayden's world record of 380.

"I don't normally think about what I have missed," Sehwag told reporters. "But yes, I was aiming for Hayden's score after reaching 300. It was a little disappointing to get out."

Tendulkar's, meanwhile, who now boasts 33 test centuries, one behind the world record of 34 by former India captain Sunil Gavaskar's 34, was not happy with his captain Rahul Dravid.

Tendulkar was six runs short of his fourth double hundred in tests when Dravid declared at 675 for five late on the second day.

"I needed only another three or four overs at the most to get to 200," he said. "We'd discussed the declaration at tea, but I didn't know it was round the corner. It was surprising."

Sehwag, however, was happy that he had scored his runs with Tendulkar for company. He has modelled his game so successfully on his hero that his friends even call him "Najafgarh's Tendulkar", in reference to his New Delhi suburb home.

Sehwag, who bats at three in domestic cricket but who transformed himself into an opener for India after failing to break into the middle-order, said: "I'm delighted that Sachin was with me. It's a great pleasure to get score with him at the other end.

"I wasn't nervous last night when I was finished on 228 not out. I went out to bat this morning knowing I could get to 300."

"I knew he could get a big one today," Tendulkar added. "The way he was batting, I felt he could break Hayden's record."

Sehwag hit 192 in boundaries and batted nine minutes short of nine hours before being caught in the slips off fast bowler Mohammad Sami.

Chief selector Syed Kirmani described the innings as "masterly" and wished Sehwag had broken the world record. "Such knocks come only from masters," the ex-India wicketkeeper told Reuters from Madras.

Reuters >>

[chinaman]

Pakistan's cricket board has asked groundsman Andy Atkinson for a livelier pitch for the second test after India dominated the first two days of the opening Multan test on a flat track.

"We want to ensure the pitch for the second test is more responsive," Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan told Reuters on Monday.

India scored 675 for five declared in their first innings, Virender Sehwag scoring a national record 309 and Sachin Tendulkar 194 not out on a wicket offering no assistance to the bowlers. Pakistan were 42 without loss in reply.

"Knowing that our strength is fast bowling, I don't understand what purpose can be achieved by preparing such a pitch," former Pakistan captain Imran Khan said.

Englishman Atkinson, who has left for Lahore, told Reuters: "I'm not happy with the wicket. But I got just three days to prepare the final pitch.

"Hopefully we'll get more time for the second test. We've already done a lot of work on the square there."

The match in Lahore starts on April 5 with the third and final test at Rawalpindi.

Atkinson also prepared the pitches for the last two home series against South Africa and New Zealand.

Reuters >>

[acbizz]

Dravir should waited till Tendulkar's 200.

2/3 overs would not change the outcome(whatever it would be) of the game.

Ganguly never have done this. It is very clear that Tendulkar was not sure when they would declare. Otherwise Tendulkar could easily make the run needed before declaration. Dravir failed as a captain to provide a little benifit to his team's best batsman. I hope Ganguly will be back for the next Test.

[Navarene]

Yeah the fact that Sachin mentioned how surprised he was shows that this decision is niggling away in his mind.

I wouldn't discount the psychological trauma that such a decision can cause!

[FaltuRidwanBhai]

jaihok,
tendulkar ar jonno kintu amar nijero khub kharap lagche. shotti ami bolbo eta obichar holo tar jonno. matro 2 theke 3 over beshi khelle amar mone hoi na moha bharot oshhudhho hoye jeto. kingba amar mone hoi dravid jodi shetati mone koren je 2 theke 3 over beshi khellle india ar jonno loss hoto tahole atleast ami mone kori tar uchit chilo 12th batsman diye take age bole pathano. tahole kintu tendulkar age theke beparta buzhto. kintu akhon jeta hoyeche je tendulkar was taken by surprise karon tini janten na je tokhoni declare dewa hobe. amar mone hoi eta dravid ar akta boro rokomer berthota. amar mone hoi na tar shiddhanto bharotiyo jonogonke khub akta khushi korte pereche. dannabad.

[Carte Blanche]

I made a post about this on the image gallery thread, not knowing there's another thread for this. My bad. We all know Sachin is an extremely polite and mild-mannered fella. I've to admit he was very intelligent in carefully and diplomatically choosing the word "surprised" in the statement he made to the press. If it was some other batsman, he would simply be irate over this. I personally would be livid at this kind of declaration if I were on 194*. This is extremely unfair. This has been a wonderful test for India so far, and I'm pretty sure they will win this one. This stupid declaration simply ruined the test match for me, perhaps so for Sachin and all his fans. I doubt Sehwag could have made it that far without the help of an able and seasoned partner in Sachin. This is an insult towards the best batsman in the world.

[sage]

Depriving Sachin of 200 for 6 run doesn't make any sense. Only 5 wickets are gone.

[Edited on 29-3-2004 by sage]

[billah]

As far as I can remember, this is the second time in the last few months that Rahul did this to his batsmen. I don't exactly remember the previous incident, but Rahul was the captain.

[pinky]

Guys it was ganguly's decision. if u see the match u will see that saurav was gesturing dravid to declare. Besides the strategy was that the paks would be very tired, get them to bat and take wickets soon
Also it's time that sachin should know that his runs are not imp and he is not above the team.
He had ample time to make his 200 . But he kept delaying it and was slow. even yuvi depsite the pressure was going for runs while sachin.......

Ofcoure an hour would not have mattered but sachin had to be taught that his personal glory is not imp. Who cares whether he makes 2, 20 or 200 as long as we win this test match.

[Arnab]

There you go. Right from an Indian's mouth.

[billah]

Pinky: I just hope this hasn't opened up a pendora's box.

[reverse_swing]

It's a decision that defied logic. Most people watching wondered what difference an over or two would make at that stage.I think only Dravid knows what he actually did.



[Edited on 30-3-2004 by rezwan1977]

[abhs]

So far I could understand reading newspaper, it was a pre-decided matter in the dressing room (including Sourav, may be he was the decison maker) that declraration will be made just one hour before stumps. So responsibility also goes to Tendulkar for not being able to make his 200 in the stipultaed period. Dravid could consider, but being a Captain in the absence of the regular captain and also having a prior decision from the Coach and Sourav, he might not do otherwise.

[pinky]

Yes everything is true what abhs said. Tendy knew but as usual he expected the team to consider his quest for personal glory.

Most indians are happy about shewag's triple ton and nothing is going to mar that joy. He has gone where no indian has gone before including gavasker and tendy

[reverse_swing]

"Yes, I was terribly disappointed, anyone would be when a score like 200 is around the corner," said Tendulkar.

He said he "didn't really know" what had happened. "At the tea-break we had decided that we wanted Pakistan to bat for about an hour and we knew we had to play positively but I did not know we would declare just when Yuvraj fell. I thought we had a few overs left when I saw Rahul waving to us to come in."

-Hindustantimes

[pinky]

rezwan yup that's what he said in the interview. But i would take dravid 's opinion over him any day. I don't understand what's the big deal he will have many chances in the near future.

[billah]

As an avid fan of good cricket, it is a big deal for me. A double and a triple in one innings is really awesome. A double by Tendulkar is equally pleasing. Dravid isn't a programmed robot (although, he plays like one at times). He should have used his commonsense before making the call.

[fab]

I'm confused.. exactly how is this incident Ganguly's fault?

[abhs]

Dravid aplied his common sense, I think.
The decision was to declare one hour before stumps.

He could have three options: to declare after a wicket fall or after Tendulkar 200 or as a programmed robot to declare just before one hour.

He did not have to be a programmed robot and could declare after the fall of a wicket. Why don't we find the lack of sense of Tendulkar? With 6 wickets in hand and the decison to field for an hour, why should he bat so carefully and slowly?

[Edited on 30-3-2004 by abhs]

[reverse_swing]

wt kind of common sense?

[abhs]

Originally posted by reverse_swing
wt kind of common sense?

The common sense I meant is the sense to decide the time to declare.

[billah]

Originally posted by abhs
Dravid aplied his common sense, I think.
The decision was to declare one hour before stumps.

He could have three options: to declare after a wicket fall or after Tendulkar 200 or as a programmed robot to declare just before one hour.

He did not have to be a programmed robot and could declare after the fall of a wicket. Why don't we find the lack of sense of Tendulkar? With 6 wickets in hand and the decison to field for an hour, why should he bat so carefully and slowly?

[Edited on 30-3-2004 by abhs]

Dear abhs, I don't know if you play cricket or not, but, you can not bat an innings in a test match with such thoughts in the back of your mind as " I must reach my double ton exactly 1 hour before tea, so that Dravid can declare and the Pakis get a go at it before the second day's play is over" Tendulkar had to play each ball to it's merit. That is the only way to score 194 like scores. The decision to declare with him at 194 was, and I must say this, not bright. It will have no impact to the final outcome of the game, except for Tendulkar's missing out on a 200.

[reverse_swing]

well said

[abhs]

Originally posted by billah

Dear abhs, I don't know if you play cricket or not, but, you can not bat an innings in a test match with such thoughts in the back of your mind as " I must reach my double ton exactly 1 hour before tea, so that Dravid can declare and the Pakis get a go at it before the second day's play is over" Tendulkar had to play each ball to it's merit. That is the only way to score 194 like scores. The decision to declare with him at 194 was, and I must say this, not bright. It will have no impact to the final outcome of the game, except for Tendulkar's missing out on a 200.

Thanks billah. No, I do not play cricket. But I hardly remember any occasion, where I isolated myself from the detail updates of Cricket from my boyhood.

Anyway, I understand your point, and agree. I do not have any doubt that Tendulakar understand well the merit of each balls and play accordingly and it is just unwise to say that he would have his 200 just 1 hour before stumps.

All the batsmen usually become more careful when they are in nervous nineties, and when Tendulkar was approaching his 200, he naturally became more careful. It is reflected in the last few overs, where he could not have runs in his style.

I also agree that the decision was not brigh, but I could not accept that Dravid lacked common sense and do not think his declaration was something like that of a programmed robot. The best two options for declaring was at the time of the fall of a wicket or if not, after the 200 of Tendulkar. The fall of wicket came first and Dravid took that opprtunity.

India did not require much runs at that time after piling huge runs, and for his 200 Tendulkar could take the risk in a wicket where the bowlers had hardly anything to do. Since Tendulkar was playing natural cricket (relatively slower and more careful to get 200), Dravid had to declare at that time honoring the decision by the team in the dressing room.

I also feel that Tendulkar might be given the opportunity to score 200, but do not blame Dravid that much and do not consider him a programmed robot in any means. His sense of cricket worked well, although it deprived Tendulkar from one more great personal achievemnt.

Despite the difference, I respect your opinion. Thank you.

[Edited on 30-3-2004 by abhs]

[Navarene]

hey guys, now stop blaming Saurav I am a big fan of him thru thick & thin!