CRICKET: Dravid's Choice Hands Initiative to Australia ; India 22-2 V Australia

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"OH, NO!" roared the headline on the front page of Bombay's afternoon newspaper. It might have been a reference to Rahul Dravid's decision to bat first under sultry skies and upon a pitch as green as a contented frog. It might have been the coach's comment on seeing the shots, essayed by his senior opening batsman, during the course of a brief contribution on the first day of this final Test. In fact it was merely a reaction to events in the United States of America.

India did not enjoy their 49 minutes of batting spread over two rain- free periods. Having lost Shane Warne for a month, the Australians felt obliged to play Nathan Hauritz, a much travelled off-spinner …