Port Elizabeth Test, Day 5, Close
Tuesday, November 20, 2001

The application shown by Deep Dasgupta and Rahul Dravid was commendable. Dravid is a world-class batsman and his defensive technique was perfect for today's situation. His reputation was at stake and he restored it. Dravid's form and Dasgupta's revelation as an opener augurs well for India. It's a day that the Indian side can look back with pride and satisfaction.

The team's pride was clearly hurt and even if Dasgupta and Dravid had failed, I am sure the others would have risen to the occasion following last evening's bizarre happenings. This is the beauty of the team: whenever things go wrong they come up with something extraordinary.

I don't agree with people who say that the team should have gone for a win. A draw was what they were fighting for and I think it would have made things difficult if they had entertained thoughts of victory.

South Africa will go into the final Test as the better team, but for the first time in the series the Indians will know that the home team is beatable. The Indian morale will be high and it all points to an interesting third Test.

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

More Sanjay Manjrekar
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The old-fashioned art of defence

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