In the morning he smacked 33 runs from 29 balls before being stumped off Kaneria while charging down the track. Pathan fell 10 short of what would have been his maiden century while Dhoni fell two short of 150. There was still some work to be done on the fourth day, and by extending their partnership to 210–a sixth wicket record for India against Pakistan–the overnight pair made things safe. He would have gained a lot of confidence.’ ‘Character’, ‘courage’ and ‘ability’ were the words Dravid used in describing Dhoni, and he couldn’t have said it better.
It was a great innings and I am confident that he will play much better after this. ‘He played his shots initially but later controlled the innings along with Irfan. ‘It was a sensible innings,’ Dravid elaborated. After the blazing start, Dhoni settled down to ensure he did not lose his wicket before stumps. ‘He had to face the new ball and he attacked the bowlers.’ He emphasised that it was not a hell-for-leather sort of innings. ‘It was one of the best innings I have seen under pressure,’ said Dravid. At the end of day’s press conference Dravid described Dhoni’s batting as ‘one of the best counter-attacking innings’ he had seen for a long time and claimed Dhoni could only get better. He reached his maiden Test century from 93 balls, while Pathan was providing valuable support in a stand that took India to the relative safety of 441 for five by close of the third day Dhoni batting on 116, Pathan on 49. The next went soaring to the same spot and Dhoni had raced to his 50 from 34 balls. The leg spinner was clouted outside Iqbal Stadium and there was a delay while the ball was retrieved. It had little effect on the young pair who were taking India out of the woods with confident strokes all round the ground.
Afridi and Danish Kaneria tried to unsettle Dhoni and Pathan with a dose of verbal abuse. Dhoni grew in confidence and smacked a few more daring shots till the bowler conceded defeat and walked off, head bowed. Akhtar roared in, striving for more and more pace and losing out on accuracy.
0 kommentar(er)
