Marx ~ Groucho, not Karl – is believed famously to have said that he intended to live for ever, or “die trying”. Well might you have recalled the quip watching Devon Conway in the inconclusive Lord’s Test between New Zealand, whom India would take on in the World Championship final of the conventional format, and England, whom Virat Kohli and his peers are to face subsequently, as the left-handed opener went about his business.
That he, a South African by birth, hit a debut double century was impressive enough, but probably much more memorable was the way he composed his innings. There was an unhurried calm in his deportment, and yet he was not really stodgy, unlike some other top-order performers across the competitive spectrum who would plough ponderously on, simply waiting for the bad ball to score off.
His self-assurance was exemplary and his range of strokes quite all right. It was not as if he recaptured the technical flawlessness of Sunil Gavaskar or the exhilarating strokeplay of Vivian Richards but what he seemed capable quite eminently of was competence. When, eventually, he was done, and the statistical details came to be furnished, he could be said to have had the right approach: not overawed at all by England’s potent and rich-in-experience bowling attack.
It was clear that New Zealand, who quite obviously fancy their chances in the summit showdown of Test cricket, had come by a cometh-the-hour-cometh-the-man character who could be a pivotal figure in the much-awaited contest. And one of the offshoots of Conway’s overwhelming performance was that, by the time the match was over ~ the weather had not held always ~ everyone seemed to have forgotten that Tim Southee had bowled 25 overs in England’s first innings for the unquestionably respectable return of six for 43.
The hosts had laboured for hours in the field. That England survived the double whammy, no pun here, brought the focus on Conway’s feat, but taking the synergy generated by the New Zealand duo was the surprise in the end analysis. Not an O Henry ending, but a crystal-clear indication that India’s rivals in the World Test Championship final do have what it takes.
Critical assessment before this tended not to make too much of New Zealand’s latest Test series triumph over India as it had been achieved at home but, now that they are in England giving a good account of themselves, it is likely that previous reviews would come to be reviewed again. They could be deemed stronger. Not that India should feel cold around the feet in the wake of this.
They have the best-balanced bowling attack. Their batting strength is commensurate. Not going to England earlier than their adversaries ~ there are those who think that India missed a trick thereby ~ was no Himalayan blunder. India have a world to win yet, and it may not be a pipe dream.