Triangular Tournament
South Africa v India, part 2
Friday, October 5, 2001

The Indians went out to bowl under the mistaken impression that they could defend their total of 279. But I had the feeling that this was never going to be enough. They weren't aggressive enough in their approach, and they should have had specific plans to get the top three batsmen out.

For example, when South Africa last toured India, the Indians set a leg-side field to Gary Kirsten and bowled round the wicket to him. This tactic worked back then, and it should have been tried today.

However, it was heartening to see Anil Kumble in action, for the simple reason that he looked completely fit. His shoulder seemed to have recovered, and his bowling action looked just as it used to be. He wasn't as accurate, but that is understandable given his lack of match practice.

The Indian bowlers never at any stage looked like taking wickets, and they must now consider playing Harbhajan Singh. He is a wicket-taking bowler – purely defensive bowling will never be enough to win matches.

India might have lost the match, but it could have been worse, remembering the fitness problems that have plagued the side recently, and given that fact that some of the side were making comebacks. Keeping that in mind, this has been a pretty good opener for the Indian team.

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

More Sanjay Manjrekar
Good score, but is it good enough? - India's innings

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