Saurav – teach the Aussies real cricket – not the tactics of slow bowling and time wasting - Vajpayee and John Howard Watching you!
 Top - Atal Behari Vajpayee, Prime Minister of India Bottom - John Howard, Prime Mister of Australia Right - Captain Sourav Ganguly and Zaheer Khan celebrate after Damien Martyn (left) is run-out for 42. |
When Vajpayee met John Howard the Prime Minister of Australia today, he mentioned how India routed Aussies in the second day of the test match. John Howard was shocked. Things went excellent for India on Day 2 of the Brisbane Test with the Aussies at 323/9 having started the day at 262/2. However, India received a strong warning for wasting time and bowling less than required by international standards. It may cost match fees, special penalty for the Captain and in extreme case Sourav Ganguly could face a one-Test ban if India do not improve the over rate. Today while Zaheer Khan and others performed excellent and Aussies really lost the edge over the game, tomorrow is the crucial day for India to come out and clinch a large innings quickly to win the match. Australia scored 262 runs off 62 overs on day one. Today's rain-curtailed play of 16 overs saw a renewed Indian attack. Seven Australian wickets fell for 61 runs as India ended day two at 323 for 9. Zaheer Khan, who led the way for India with his 5 for 95, recorded his third successive five-wicket haul in Tests overseas.
The biggest problem with the Indian team is facing the giant Australian Cricket team in their own terms. While it may be a good thing to slow down and get the Aussies in a calculated manner, it may not be a good idea to damage the Indian cricket image by playing slow and apparently wasting time inconsistent with the international standards. Let us not provide a chance to talk about our non-compliance of standards. Indian team is very well capable of winning every test and every one day cricket and let us play it right to teach them who we are and we can do.