Rahul Dravid's timidity while facing an aggressive Australian pace battery has turned the match in the favour of Ricky Ponting's men, feels former skipper Steve Waugh.
"Rahul Dravid looked out of touch and instead of being bold and countering with aggression, he opted for a grafting response which would have been fine if he went on to make a significant score. But to fall for five off 66 balls was to hand the momentum clearly back to Australia," Waugh wrote in his column for the 'Daily Telegraph'.
India collapsed to 196 all out after having done well to bundle out Australia for 343 and Waugh said the visitors only had themselves to blame for being in a precarious position as they buckled under the pressure of being faced with a pace onslaught from Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson.
"India would have been well pleased to bowl Australia out for 343 but immediately gave the impetus back by getting bogged down at the crease and allowing Lee and Johnson to determine the way forward," he pointed out.
Waugh, however, lavished praise on Sachin Tendulkar for applying himself well against a hostile attack.
"Much in the same mould as (Matthew) Hayden, Tendulkar appeared primed for a big innings, playing straight off the quicker bowlers and accumulating runs before setting himself for a premeditated assault on Brad Hogg where he swatted across the line and over the infield, much in the same way he took to Warne on the subcontinent," he said.
Waugh felt despite coming in for some hammering early on, chinaman bowler Brad Hogg justified his selection in the Australian squad with a couple of crucial wickets.
"With two exceptional players of spin in Ganguly and Tendulkar clearly showing their intent against Brad Hogg, the blowtorch was well and truly on, with no place to hide."
"The perceived weakness in the past was his temperament, which could falter under pressure, but on this occasion he showed a calmness and control over his emotions, culminating in Ganguly's dismissal, in a display that justified his spot in the side," Waugh said.
