His name is Rover, and the story is over. Many young parents dealing with first-born babies who demand bedtime stories use this shortcut. It rarely works, but it’s worth a try. Kids picture Rover as this lovable, cuddly golden retriever puppy who runs up to you without any hindrance and licks and hugs you with affection and love.
It’s a great win and doable with minimal effort. And possibly unlike Test cricket.
Winning a test match is like befriending a tabby cat. Leave the curious rover aside for a minute and meet Maximus, Latin for greatest, or Max, for short. If you want this cat’s attention, you must follow a procedure and not think for a second about the result. Approaching Max can immediately lead to hesitation. Reaching out to Max, assuming he’ll come to you, is an even worse idea. Stay in your place, do your job, be patient and Max will come to you looking for love.
Actually, how test matches are won.
India vs South Africa: full coverage , photos , the schedule , result
If you are India, and have thrashed South Africa by 113 runs in the first Test at Centurion, and believe the statement that it is time history was rewritten with a series win in South Africa, you might believe That the second test is only a formality.
This is perhaps the most fragile South African batting line-up that India has ever had to deal with on a tour. This is certainly India’s strongest bowling attack to rock these shores. For this, the victory in the second Test should have remained a mere formality.
Except, it isn’t.
Test cricket is about one team versus another on the cricket field, but it is not alone. The moment you take it lightly, the game has a way of reminding you that nothing is that simple. Much of the fourth day’s play was washed away, with an air of resignation all around, when suddenly the drizzle stopped, the Wanderers groundsmen did their job brilliantly and the possibility of 34 overs opened up on the fourth day.
South Africa needed 122 to win – they would have to score 3.5 runs per over when their first 118 came on 2.95 – and the lights were on and swing-friendly clouds hanging low to the ground. It soon became clear that India was desperate. For starters, he bowled R Ashwin from the front, as he wanted to give him a chance with a dry ball that could have been a damp pitch, looking for an early dismissal.
While cleverly sound, it was a Hail Mary, and it quickly became clear that it would not pay dividends. Fast forward to Plan A, India faced Dean Elgar, who was not going to give his wicket, and Rasi van der Dussen, who took a leaf out of Cheteshwar Pujara’s book.
Read also: ‘It’s all about getting the basics right’ – Dean Elgaro
If you can’t live every day like it’s your last, maybe bat this innings like you can be dropped. Van der Dussen went back to basics in this series to address the setbacks and glitches of his previous innings, which is why he is rated so highly in South Africa.
A cover drive that was straight out of the coaching manual, a clever bunt through square-leg, a muscle pull in front of square and an aerial back foot punch brought boundaries around the wicket against various bowlers. Van der Dussen scored only 40, but by the time he was dismissed, he had reminded India that they were running out of runs to defend.
All this while Elgar was doing his job, and little else. Not only was he missing the calmly curling precision-guided missiles that Mohammed Shami sent down, or the body blows that Jasprit Bumrah pinged into his ribs with a heavy ball, he was also missing his rest in the runs. Anything in the area was working.
Elgar was on his way to a century when Temba Bavuma stepped in. India’s bowlers tried to rush him, but he backed down when he was not ready. This only further angered the India players and ignited their already boiling frustrations. Bavuma carved his place in history, scoring only 23 runs, but it was the foil that allowed Elgar to be himself.
In the best of times, Elgar is the kind of batsman who can save you a match, not the kind that will get you a win. Still, the day he remained unbeaten on 96 when he scored the winning run, Elgar had his best day in cricket. He has 13 Test centuries, but none will be able to cross an unbeaten 96, which is classified as a half-century only. Captain Elgar and batsman Elgar came together in a way that celebrates a certain level of functional ugliness as a batsman and transcendental beauty as a winner.
India, in the second Test in South Africa, on their best chance of winning a series here and making history, hoped that the game would come to them, wagging their tail like a rover. Instead, they found Max, who filled the pad, looked suspiciously, might have put a paw, and then changed his mind.
Test victories, especially historic victories, don’t come down to you, how much you want them. You must do all you can, expecting nothing in return, and only then will Max’s victory be on your lap.
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