ANOTHER GROUNDHOG DAY FOR HOSTS

After one of India’s most uninspiring days on the field in living memory, attention turns towards saving Test

- SWAROOP SWAMINATHAN @ Guwahati

WELL, at least there was one piece of good news. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, usually the two most overworked Indian cricketers whenever the Test team plays, bowled all of five overs between them and nothing after 9.30 AM. Post that, for over five hours, they didn’t bowl.

This, though, wasn’t a silver lining in a cloud. It was a silver lining ina Category 5 hurricane. On a day when nothing went right for the hosts — surely one of the most uninspiring days of Test cricket to take place in this country from an Indian perspective — by the time the day was done, they were walking wounded, waiting for the opposition to put them out of this purgatory.

Siraj had to go off the field after an awkward fall while trying to save a four (there was no damage done, thankfully). Rishabh Pant, who has just recovered from a fractured foot, got one of his toes plastered by the physio. More players took breaks as they sought the refuge of the dressing room. It was that kind of day, the kind of hellish day this Indian team hasn’t had ina long time.