Oct. 5: A dejected Australian skipper Ricky Ponting said the one-wicket loss to India in the first Test here on Tuesday, was more disappointing than the famous defeat at Kolkata in 2001. “This is probably more disappointing than Kolkata (in 2001). There’s no hiding the fact that it hurts. I was a bit delirious than having been on the field for almost four days. But I’m leading the side now,” said Ponting on Tuesday.
“But this was one of the best and most exciting Test matches that I’ve been part of, and I’m proud of my team for how they competed. We’re playing the No. 1 side in their backyard and we nearly had the match won,” the Australian skipper said. V.V.S. Laxman had rescued India then with a career-defining 281 in famous Kolkata Test in 2001, the highest individual score by Indian before Virender Sehwag surpassed him with 309 against Pakistan in a Test against Pakistan in Multan in 2004. On Tuesday his 79-ball 71 set up India’s win.
“I hope his back is still sore for Bengaluru,” said the Australian captain, trying to lighten the gloom of defeat with a joke. “I said to the boys yesterday that his was an important wicket, and it turned out that way. He’s just a class player,” Ponting pointed out.
Australia were hampered by the absence of pacer Doug Bollinger, who suffered an abdominal strain on the day. Ponting, however, refused to peg Bollinger’s absence as a reason for loss. “Sure it hurts when you lose a strike option, but we used five bowlers today and no one could get that one wicket,” Ponting said.
“We bowled something like 90 or 100 balls at Ishant (Sharma), but couldn’t dismiss him. Credit to the Indians, they just played well,” he added. Zaheer Khan, who won the man of the match award for his eight-wicket haul, said he would happily hand his Man-of-the-match award to Laxman for the way he batted on the day. “His innings was very, very special, which is why we call him ‘Very Very Special’ Laxman,” said Zaheer.
“It’s remarkable how he has got us out of danger so many times. I’ll happily give him my award. He deserves it for the way he played,” Zaheer said. Laxman, Zaheer said, had calmed a dressing room that had grown tense after Sachin Tendulkar’s wicket. “We were in a difficult position and there were a lot of nerves even though we tried not to show them,” said the left-armer.
“But Laxman has done it so many times in the past. So his being there at the crease was definitely calming,” Zaheer added.