.. A comment on the Test Match at Bangalore....

Pakistan played good cricket in Bangalore --- the statistics of the visiting captain, and his deputy --- is known to all who followed the match. A conservative skipper would have delayed the declaration of their second innings, perhaps until both the batsmen scored centuries in the second innings, or until the fall of one more wicket, or until a short spell of five overs during the first hour of the game on the fifth day. Pakistan skipper chose to surprise instead. Perhaps he was banking on claiming one wicket before the day break. Pakistan forced India to play, and win, if possible.

I watch cricket since Tiger Pataudi's time. Winning a test match was very difficult then. The trio of spinners (at times quartet) always forced the opponents to the crease, and the days used to drag. Indians lacked fast-bowlers; fielding was not upto the mark (Solkar and Pataudi were exceptions). Goal was to draw! Time had changed since then.

Pakistan, since the time of RSS-Jinnah-Gandhi, had neither been the 'true st friend', nor the 'noblest foe'. As a matter of fact, we always mistrusted each other. There had been reasons. Pakistan, in dealing with the Indian army, is said to depend on suicidal first-strike tactical units. During the Bangladesh war, many Indian towns were worried of mass scale water poisoning. Bhopal disaster, some rumored, was the work of the KGB though! Pakistan always blamed RAW for the 'Muktibahini' in Bangaladesh. RAW, CIA, ISI, KGB, Mossad -- or 16 -- any name brand you take, are professionals who mind their own business. ISI can poison me to death any day in any one of the places I hang out. If KGB were to murder me on the MG Road, local police would never be able to ascertain time, place, cause and motive. Such being the nature of the business world (Infotech, Biotech, Steel, nanotech. missile etc. etc.), what can the Bengali 'pancharatna' (Sidhu-Jyoti-Runu-Pranab-Priya) do? They can only consult with the Karnataka 'navaratna', and Modi and Laloo, and explain the nature of the trends in Indian development in a quick photo-session.

Pakistan played good cricket. And Bangalore voted in favour of the visitors!


(To be edited)
Dr. Ganguli,
Bangalore.