Ojha reminds me of the old-time spinners

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With due salutes to the batting heroics of Alistair Cook, India thoroughly deserved to win this critical first Test -theirs was the better all-round team performance. These days to see the follow-on enforced are refreshing; the England second innings was hard toil for both bowlers and fielders on a slow pitch but India got the job done.

Other than on television, I have seen little of Pragyan Ojha but he reminds me of those old-style spinners.

When you batted against them, the ball never arrived and you would just not know where the next boundary was coming from. He can gradually wear you down and is a bowler of great subtlety and accuracy.

It was, however, the batting of India’s top three that had set this victory up a few days ago. Like I said in the preview, the start of any big Test series is a nervous time for all concerned. On day one, the pressure is always on those who perform first-On who can grab the early initiative for their team — the opening bowlers or the opening batsman.

After Dhoni won a good toss, it was India’s opening batsmen who convincingly won this first contest. Both Veeru and Gautam were under the media microscope and apparently short of form and runs. They answered in the best possible way — with their batting. Within thirteen overs on their first day — about an hour of play — their partnership had raced to 61 for no loss and by lunch India were121 without having lost a wicket. Compare the top three to England’s and its here that India is looking much stronger at this stage of the Series.

Apart from Cook, England’s batsmen have to improve if they are to stand any chance in this series.