One of the longer running test batting records is now under threat. Vinoo Mankad’s and Pankay Roy’s opening partnership of 413 in 1955/56 is now under threat from none other than India’s Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid. At 403 for no loss, they are only 10 runs away from that record.

It is quite strange because Dravid is not an opener, and Sehwag was not one till he got settled into that spot. Even though Sehwag has stated that this is not a permanent arrangement (and rightly so), this match will raise certain questions about the batting order.

Why was Dravid the ‘sacrificial’ one? Why did he have to be the opener-interim and not anyone else like Lax, Yuvi, Sachin or Ganguly? Sachin and Ganguly especially because they have opened in one dayers.

Oh well. What this test has proved is that draws are still possible in test matches. What a flatbed pitch this one is. Stoopid.