South Africa in India

So having shed their entire selection and coaching staff after being stuffed 1-1 by the mighty England the Jaapies had a good old go at beating India in the Tests. A crushing victory on a deck that looked like you could bat for days on it was followed up yesterday by a last gasp win for India and nothing has changed at the top of the Test Championship.

Looks like South Africa made a good fist of it and were only nine balls away from a crushing England style last minute win (sorry that should be heroic draw) but their version of Monty Panesar or Graham Onions (Morne Morkel) couldn't keep out the Turbantor...

But what of India? Shorn of Laxman and Dravid in the first test their batting looked ordinary for the first time in a decade. Gambhir's run of exceptional form came to a brutal end against high quality pace bowling and the new Indian middle order couldn't cope either. Yuvraj still doesn't look like a Test bat after having played probably 1000+ one day games and the bowling was filth. They were on the ropes.

Cue the return of Laxman in the next test, another Tendulker 100 (he's now only 4 away from 50 Test 100s) and Bhaji taking some wickets and all of a sudden the Indian fans on Cricinfo are crowing and alls right with the world.

Except it doesn't look as if it is. Laxman, Tendulkar and Dravid (where is he by the way?) are nowhere near being replaced and the bowling is curiously ineffective. Admittedly it rained for most of day four in this test but they couldn't take 10 wickets in the first test and they came close to failing to take 20 in this. At home. Wickman thinks India will have to enjoy their brief time at the top because it might not be long before the mighty England are nudging them for fourth spot again...