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Tale of two 'keepers rules headlines

Dileep Premachandran sees day two, and the rest of this Test, as a potentially soul defining moment for the Indian team. And at the center of it all is Sachin Tendulkar:

As at Sydney, his innings thus far has been characterised by patient accumulation than the free-stroking flair that once enthralled so many. Like Mohammad Ali, another legend who transformed himself from the devastating puncher who annihilated Cleveland Williams and Ernie Terrell to the rope-a-dope expert who exhausted George Foreman, Tendulkar appears at ease in his new avatar, one where he works away like flowing water on rock.

England helped his cause by overdoing the short stuff, when swing at pace might have asked far more uncomfortable questions. He got a chance too, with Matt Prior's gloves not being as wide as his gob, and late in the day, there was another edge that flew past the slip cordon.

Tendulkar will not be bothered by trifles such as TRPs and entertainment quotients when he resumes tomorrow, and that is as it should be. The Oval is one of those venues where it' is notoriously difficult to predict a par score. Nine years ago, England made 445 in the first innings and were still routed by a combination of Muttiah Muralitharan, Sanath Jayasuriya and Aravinda de Silva. And as recently as four years back, South Africa piled up 484 - they were 290 for 1 at one stage - only for "Banger" Tresothick to play one of the innings of his career as England swept to a nine-wicket win.

Andrew Miller, meanwhile, on the defining moment of the first day:

"It's frustrating to drop a chance," said Moores on behalf of his protege, Matt Prior, who could hardly have picked a worse Test to produce the biggest clanger of his career to date. Prior, it is fair to say, did not emerge from Trent Bridge with many plaudits. His reputation as a trash-talker, and his central role in the controversies of that game, meant he had no choice but to back up his many words with deeds. Instead he found his feet stuck in gelatine as an edge from Sachin Tendulkar flew his way, and the moment was lost before he could even remember to mind his language.

Tendulkar may not be the batsman he once was - how could he be after 18 years on the road? - but giving him a let-off still ranks as perhaps the single biggest sin in the game: all the more so in this latter phase of his career when caution and patience have become his greatest allies. In a reprisal of his Trent Bridge performance he managed just two scoring shots in his first 35 balls, and was still far from any sort of fluency when Ryan Sidebottom found his edge with an inswinger. "That's the game, and Matt'll have to take it on the chin," said Moores of the missed moment, but the crushing disappointment wasn't limited to his wicketkeeper.

For Sidebottom especially it was a cruel misfortune. He has, by a distance, been England's leading bowler in the series, and yet he has managed just two wickets in his last 66 overs, both here and at Trent Bridge. Left-arm swing has been the weapon that has given India control of the series, and it has been India - perhaps because they have two of their own against whom they can groove their responses - who have coped best with what has been thrown back in their direction.

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