The Surfer

India stooped to conquer. Only 21.3 overs were bowled in the morning session, a ruse designed to slow the scoring and to bring bad light into play in the event of the Australians putting up a sustained fight. ...

People like Pele and Maradona have gone. They are the greats but everybody has to go. Even Pete Sampras went because your body changes; it cannot be the same when you are 23-24 and when you are 36-37. In international sports, when you are expected to deliver day in and day out, moment you drop from your standards, people will start talking.

For the media to complain about the entertainment value on the basis of the runs scored was like a complaint against Picasso for using too few brush-strokes.

Here is a tension. We are anxious that Tests justify themselves as spectacle, but can't abandon the idea that more is at stake. It is a neurosis rooted in Twenty20's intimidating popularity, and Test cricket's abiding hold on our imaginations. In fact this Border-Gavaskar Trophy has given great value. Two exquisitely-matched teams with a lot of history and good cause to distrust one another have shown a ton of courage, skill and even civility.

When I got picked up in 1996, I realised, when I came back to India, that if I had not done well in that debut Test at the Lord's, I'd never have played cricket for India again. Luckily, I didn't know that during the series. I couldn't have played cricket like that, nobody can play like that. You need to give everybody a fair opportunity, let them play with peace in mind if they are to perform

The temptation is to say the Australian selectors must be doing handstands over Krezja but we remember that Nathan Hauritz took seven wickets on his debut in the corresponding Test of the last Indian tour and never played another Test.

Somehow, a group of experienced cricketers and leaders managed to convince themselves that the over rate was more important than the match. At tea, Indian were in trouble. In the ensuing two hours, Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh stroked the ball around cheerfully, adding 100 runs in 100 minutes. It was the most staggering passage of play seen on a day that also included five penalty runs when the keeper threw a glove at the ball, and four overthrows given away by a fieldsman tying his laces. Indeed it was the most incomprehensible spell seen from an Australian team for a quarter of a century.

“He rode the bike with us, played with us, ate with us, spoke our language…We fought amongst ourselves and then made up. And then suddenly he makes it big in no time, like a fairy tale. We never imagined he had it in him,” says Soma, who used to keep wickets to Dhoni’s bowling for the para team, Durga Sporting. Yes, Dhoni also bowled then. “He used to bowl pretty fast. When he bowled with a leather ball, it even swung,” adds Soma.
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“Once, after he received the man-of-the-match trophy from Bengal spinner Shiv Sagar Singh at the tournament finals in Panskura in 2002, Mahi was asked to say something. But he just told the organiser apologetically: “Mujhe bolna nahin ata (I can’t make a speech).” This same guy is so articulate now. His speech is so polished. It’s like magic,” says Sinha.

This is a heartbreaking sentence to write but it is the inescapable truth - Test cricket is in big trouble. Series between Australia and India are traditionally a magnificent pep pill for the game, providing storylines that stimulate the cricket world.

If something was happening, I would give the ball to Anil. If nothing was happening, I would give the ball to Anil. If you needed to contain runs, you give the ball to Anil. If you needed to attack, you give the ball to Anil. India will miss him every day and at all times.

When I’m asked about my most memorable moment with Sourav, there have been many but one that stays with me for some reason is flooding his room with water during our under-15 days. He had been sleeping and when he got up he had no idea what was going on. I don’t think I will ever forget the sight of his face. Of course, I’d made sure all his bats and pads were safely off the ground first, so no one could say I wasn’t considerate.

Peter Moores [coach]: I would have invested any such windfall proceedings in the acquisition of a personality. I would also have purchased a quantity of "focus" for the team to take with them to India.