Sachin's nets and Parthiv's popularity
The sights and sounds from the fringes of the Ahmedabad Test captured by Wisden's Roving Reporter.
Samanth Subramanian
09-Oct-2003
Being dismissed for eight on a slow track against a relatively weak bowling attack cannot happen too often to Sachin Tendulkar. The briefness of his stay at the wicket yesterday must have irked him. So this morning, while Rahul Dravid batted away, Tendulkar went to an
outside net and went back to the basics. Three bowlers - whose ages could not have totalled more than 36 - lined up to first bowl a series of off breaks to him. Then, off a shortened run-up, they pitched the ball on and outside the off stump consistently. Anshuman Gaekwad,
strolling around the ground's premises, came across the solo practice session, and a few words of advice were duly imparted. Tendulkar may not have to bat again at Ahmedabad, but it appears that he already has Mohali in mind.
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The roar that greeted Parthiv Patel upon his entry was as vociferous as the one that greeted Sachin Tendulkar the day before; like Tendulkar, Parthiv too sneaked a quick look upwards as he crossed the boundary ropes. Perhaps influenced by the enormous hometown support, Parthiv was in attacking vein, even standing, like David in front of Goliath, up to Daryl Tuffey during one particularly heated moment. But as far as the crowd was concerned, it was all good. Sourav Ganguly too had words of praise for Patel. "That's why I say that it is important to have a wicketkeeper who can bat, and if Parthiv can do this consistently, it will only be good for India." Ganguly did refuse to answer further, however, when asked for the fourth successive time, "But can you say something else about Parthiv's innings?" by a member of the Ahmedabad press cadre.
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The Visitor of the Day to the press box was SK Nair, BCCI secretary. Unlike Raj Singh Dungarpur the day before, Nair spoke only in polite diplomatese. The BCCI, he said, will be discussing the issue of graded contracts with the Indian players after the Mohali Test. When asked how the Board would arrive at the final lists, Nair said: "There is a system for that, and that will be revealed in due course."