Lakshmipathy Balaji bowled magnificently without having the figures to show for it, as he has done all series, yet the back-up was indifferent to put it charitably. On that final day at Mohali – India's impotence then could yet cost them a series victory – both Irfan Pathan and Zaheer Khan had spells best consigned to the dustbin, and Pathan's subsequent displays, save for the sporadic threat, have not been in keeping with his status as India's first-choice new-ball bowler.
Like Kasprowicz, Balaji is a cricketer's cricketer, as opposed to some hyped-up powder-puff loved by advertising conmen. His attitude is his greatest asset, and the manner in which he turned away and swore quietly at the sky before loping back to his mark after a catch had evaded second slip said all you need to know about the absence of a prima-donna gene in his make-up.
cover [waiting for psec bharat rao, CiL, Anonymous and others to stop pimping for Irfan and Zaheer and start acknowledging balaji's talent] drive
