A historical win

I

Sir,

What a great win for team India at Perth! History will registered this win. On 19th January, India did what no other term from the subcontinent could do. A win at WACA. Perth has always proved to be the nemasis of any foreign team. Rated as one of the fastest and some say that fastest pitch in the cricketing world, tailor made to Aussie fast bowling was to prove the ultimate test for Indian cricket.

The match stated with all the nasty experience of Sydney. At Sydney the Australian played spoil sport. The raised fingers of umpires and Ponting did a deep dent to cricket ethics. The match could have been easily saved or even won but in the end due to all fouls played against Team India the match ended as a win for Ponting and co. With a team which was put up to such bad experience Harbajan episode brought the tour to the brink. Some how good sense prevailed and the tour was saved.

Indians had pulled themselves together. Now or never was the moving mantra. Do something worth remembering at Perth. Here, back at home the whole Nation stood behind the team like a rock. More than a two billion eyes waited for the first ball to be bowled. A fortuitous thing happened for the team. Swash buckling Sehwag struck form at Canberra. That was what we needed. A Sehwag in form was a best bet at WACA where ball comes nicely and at a decent height. The toss was won. What latter followed is all history. Not an ordinary win but a glorious history. Our young and inexperienced pace attack bowled their heart out. They showed a classic display of seam and swing bowling. Australians with their great batsman were laid high and dry finally. When Shaun Tait was bowled by R P Singh on the 4th day itself Indias signalled their revenge. We had triumphed not only in the game but over Aussie psyche. Well done team India.

Yours etc...
Adarsh Koul
Roop Nagar
Enclave
Jammu

II

Sir,

Sunil Gavaskar rated the victory of Indian team at Perth as the greatest victories of the Indian team in thirty five or forty years.

A few weeks ago when Sydney episode was hogging the limelight TV channels aired programmes where eminent cricketers of past gave their opinion about what had happened at Syndey. Where majority of people were unanimous that the team should be recalled some stalwarts like Bedi and Manjrekar suggested that the best way to take revenge on Australia was to sit back there and deflate the ego of Australian team. Ultimately that shall prove that Indians believed in real cricket.

At Perth the team did exactly that. A sweet revenge was taken. Australians were handed over one of their ignominious defeats. The dream of winning seventeen tests in a row lay shattered. India did it second time. In 2001 under Steve Waugh they were about to set a record of seventeen wins in a row but the greatest innings that VVS played at Calcutta did them in. India has proved to be the ultimate nemasis of Australians. Their nose has been bloodied. They have been defeated by a team against which they tried all the dirty tricks in the games. Mind game, as they call them were played with impunity . Ethicus and fair play was give a go by. To win by hook or by crook was the Australian game plan at Sydney. But nobody gave the Indian Team any chances at WACA. Perth was a different pitch. Suited to Australian fast bowlers it had little for Indians. But they held on. To win the toss and bat first was a signal to the opposition team that Indian team wanted to win. Otherwise who would opt to bat first at WACA. The opening pair gave a breezy start. Sehwag played some exquisite shots. Laxman, Dravid, Tendulkar also chipped in. Then when bowling time came. Australians were back in Pavilion in less than six hours. With a lead of 112 and a total of 413 Aussie were given enough time to prove that they are invincible. But they could not stomach the challenge. They vomited. Pathan, R P and Ishan narrowed their into their way to Australian hearts.

A historical win and a sweet revenge. Any body's psyche when bruised can stage a come back and fight like a God. Indian team proved it correct on 19th January at WACA.

Yours etc...
Manoj Gupta
Gandhi Nagar
Jammu