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Attributing India's miserable batting performance in the first Test to inexperience on fast pitches and short duration of the tour, former New Zealand captain and current manager Jeff Crowe today said the defeat has not lessened his respect for Indian batsmen. The Indians were shot out for 161 and 121 in the two innings in Wellington to crash to a 10-wicket defeat, but Crowe said he still had a lot of faith in the Indian batsmen, especially Rahul Dravid. "We have high respect for them. More so for Rahul Dravid. You wouldn't fault Sachin Tendulkar as a technician but I guess we have been used to him for so many years now that you sort of say it is expected. It's bit like Tiger Woods hitting down the middle of a fairway," said Crowe as India prepared to prevent a 2-0 washout in the second Test starting on Thursday.
"But to me it is Rahul. He must be in the top three or four now. His performance, ability to play technically correct as well as be an aggressive stroke maker makes him one of the finest players to watch in world cricket today," he said. Crowe, who played 39 Tests for New Zealand and scored 1,601 runs at an average of 26.25, said despite their tremendous abilities, the Indians were perhaps unaccustomed to playing on a pitch like the one in Wellington. Crowe also offered a psychological explanation for India's debacle in Wellington, suggesting that the team can't be too prepared for a short series.
"This is a short, two-Test series. Then you have seven one-dayers. It (one-day series) probably is an important facet of this tour, going into the World Cup," he said. "So, psychologically, it is probably not possible to have yourself prepared for Test cricket." Seeing a wonderful chance for his side to make a 2-0 sweep, Crowe said the second Test was also a great opportunity for Sourav Ganguly to prove his leadership qualities.
"Sourav has done a great job. (But) now he has a job here for the next Test. When you are back to the wall, you got to come out and lead the guys," he said. "The key for them is to get through the new ball. They need openers to get through that period for others to do the job." Though hopeful for a 2-0 victory in the Test series, Crowe looked satisfied with the fact that his team had ensured that it would not lose the series now. "You can always argue an odd number series is better than a two-Test series for a chance for India to win it. It's a bit like rugby matches and if you are the holder and win one, you can't lose it," he said.
Crowe was justifiably proud of what his bowlers achieved in Wellington and said Shane Bond, if anything, is going to get better in coming years. "Bond is a huge asset, a fiery fast bowler, for us. He's got good pace, good rhythm, he's pretty accurate and obviously he is going to get better and better."
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