In The Arena
The next test that deserves to be described in VVS’s illustrious career is the 2003 Adelaide test. In this also he was involved in a three hundred run partnership with his favourite partner Rahul Dravid. Let me begin from the first day as I habitually do. Australia as usual made a strong start with Hayden and Langer who kept the runs flowing. However, India did manage to get the two out but they came against a rampaging Ponting who was looking in the form of his life. He blasted the Indian bowlers to all parts of the Adelaide Oval, and the Indian pacemen who were like young twinks thrown into the arena of the gladiators. Why do I compare them to young twinks? The fact is that in the past three tours to Australia India has always carried raw pacemen along. The good point is all had done rather well in their first tours outside the country. Let’s come back to the story of the first day, and even after losing five wickets the Aussies had scored four hundred runs, which was among the highest number scored in a day. So, after this day you could have said that the Aussies would not lose.