Ponting + 9 =sachin in tests

It was great day for test cricket, with a good contest between bat and ball with both equally dominating.Home team got the advantage of getting southafrica out inside 300 thamks to good bowling by khans and bhajans and sharmas. Then it was the pair of gauti and viru which took the challenge to southafricans,duo put on a splendid 70 odd run stand which had only way to be broken in form of run out,an unnecessary thing in test cricket.Then it was wicket of vijay which did turned the match towards proteas side.
It was time for master blaster to get to his shoes right from the point when he entered his crease, sehwag and saachin duo put on a 249 run stand for 3rd wicket.It was part timer duminy who took sehwag who had survived many chances as amla did.The score of india then was 331/3 but thereafter when Left arm spinner paul harris switched ends to bowl through round the wicket to sachin only to end with the prize wicket of little maestro,not before he had played a most satisfying knock of 106 runs.
At the end of the day ball was little bit reverse swinging which was enough for steyn to break the timber of badrinath,being deceived him before getting his scalp.India along with laxman and mishra at the crease would look to get past the 400 mark till lunch and probably will look take as much big lead as possible so as to bat southafrica out as the pitch is deteriorating which opens options for dhoni with off and legspin of bhajji and mishra coming into play.

Can india retain the topspot in ICC test rankings?

Indian team i guess could have sorted out the puzzle for the next crucial test match at the eden gardens, with selection issues still very much there,in the abscense of rahul dravid middle order is looking vulnerable to handle the classy reverse swing bowling of dale steyn. Except for the two centuries in first test there was nothing to cheer for the indian fans, except for the matter of fact they will be happy for sachin getting further and further of ricky ponting who's considered to be threat to his record with 38 tons. Team management wanted a spin track to gain maximum advantage of the home conditions, should they opt for such
defensive approach before the match will be an interesting question to ask for. Even if we make a spin track then also it would not guarantee advantage to team india because the toss will be the second option to look to, because the fifth day pitch of eden gardens comes into play, if we can recollect of what happened on day five of that marathon test against australians when bhajji just ripped through their middle order in no time. The turbanator's form will be crucial, being known as a fighter he has answered his critics well till now hope that eden pitch will give him the same glory. There is a big fuss about injury to graeme smith in the headlines, well his abscense will hurt southafrica but nevertheless they have proved that they are the only team which can beat india in india comphrehensively, remember the 13 year old unbeaten home record was broken by the proteas. The big plus point for the team india is the return of crisis handler Very very special laxman, he along with sachin will have to share loads of responsibility to tackle reverse swing of dale steyn and the other whom matthew hayden had considered to be a threat Morne morkel, its much like the bowling combination of mcgrath and lee, hope that the dada's home helps india in retaining the No.1 spot in test rankings by thrashing the Proteas.