As former skipper Sourav Ganguly says it is not 'impossible' to save the match but for that to happen Indian batsmen need to bat out of their skins.
As Ganguly has said the India can take inspiration from the superb win against the same opponents at Kolkata in 2001, where India came up
triumphant against all odds. At the Eden Gardens in a wonderful game, India followed on 274 runs behind but came back to win the match by
171 runs, thanks mainly to V.V.S Laxman and Rahul Dravid's efforts with the bat and Harbhajan Singh's bowling on the final day.
The first session was so important for India yesterday. It was not only a match-changing, but potentially a series-deciding, session. India were below par, mostly because because senior bowler Zaheer Khan looked a little off his rhythm in his first spell. He is so important to this Indian bowling unit, the team's fortunes change with his form and he was off his game.
No praise would be enough for Clarke for leading the Australian side in a terrific manner. Clarke hit his career's first double century to put his side in a commanding position. The skipper at the start of the series said that the time had come for each of his batters to stand up, and what an example he has set.
Clarke has been a fine leader. From the start of the series he came across as a man capable of handling the senior players. His handling of Ponting and Mike Hussey when the entire media and past players were gunning for their heads is an example to all. And they have delivered for him in this series.
N Ramanarayana,
Triplicane
