Mohali Test, Day 3, Lunch
Wednesday, December 5, 2001

The English fast bowlers showed the kind of spirit that was missing in the 1992-93 England side, but their inexperience proved to be a handicap. They simply could not exert the kind of sustained pressure on the Indian batsmen to make an impact.

Sourav Ganguly, predictably tested with a generous dose of short- pitched deliveries, may have a distinct weakness against the short ball, but he is such a talented batsman that when the fast bowling is not world class and when the balls are pitched up or short of length, he comes up with classy and productive shots. He may have had a torrid time in South Africa, but there is no denying his class. The pleasing aspect of his batting is that he does not allow short bowling affect his composure. If a ball is there to be hit, he hits it with confidence and correctness.

Rahul Dravid was well set to get another hundred when he got himself out. I just get the feeling that his bottom hand is not helping his cause. Maybe he should give a thought to not gripping it so tightly to allow the left hand to be his dominating hand.

Sachin Tendulkar is moving relentlessly towards his now customary hundred. The attack is mediocre and the pitch has no alarms to test the genius.

If the England bowlers do not get much seam movement in the middle session, the spectators are in for some entertaining batting from Tendulkar and Ganguly.

Sanjay Manjrekar, mainstay of the Indian batting in the late '80s and early '90s, was talking to H Natarajan.

More from Manjrekar
Inexperience costs England
Slow? So what

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