As a staunch believer in India's batting might I admit I am baffled by the defeat at Galle. What is even more perplexing is that Sri Lanka won by ten wickets with a day to spare following the second day's washout.
I am well aware that Sri Lanka at home are a difficult side to beat and I also know that India has won three Tests to Sri Lanka's five in matches played in the island nation and that India has lost the last two contests away in 2001 and 2008. But then, India were not the No 1 Test playing nation.
I always trace India's climb to the top which they attained last year following a series of fine performances to the memorable victory over Australia at Kolkata in 2001. For me that match underlined India's batting strength, for after following on they scored 657 for seven declared, thanks mainly to the record 376-run fifth wicket partnership between Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman.
Since then, Indian batting has frequently touched dizzy heights and going into the Galle Test we had the top four having career averages of fifty plus and the fifth an average in the mid 40s. I am not too sure this has happened before in the long, rich history of Test cricket.
These Himalayan figures were achieved purely on merit for over the years the quintet of Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman had performed breathtaking feats both at home and away. Every one of them had at least one double century with Sehwag leading the pack with a round half a dozen including two triple hundreds.
In the process Indian totals hit the ceiling as 675 for five declared was notched up in Pakistan, 705 for seven declared in Australia, 664 in England and 726 for nine declared in India. Naturally enough the Indian line up was acknowledged in cricketing circles as the most lustrous in the game.
So admirably did the batsmen perform that they frequently covered up for the weaker link - the bowling - and they had the arsenal to come good in any situation. At Napier last year for example, when they were pushed to the wall by New Zealand and made to follow on 314 runs behind they batted over two days in a classic rearguard action to save the Test easily with a closing total of 476 for four in 180 overs. They proved that they were not only strokeplayers but also stonewallers.
I had this superb showing in mind when the Indians started their second innings at Galle. So strong was my faith in the Indian batting that I was sure they would save the match given the fact that the same six were on duty.
Looking at the scorebook and trying to analyze how a formidable batting line up could be bowled out for 276 and 338 it can quickly be seen that whereas they were no real failures - except one real disaster in Gambhir - the batsmen did not perform up to their lofty reputation. Sehwag got a century, Tendulkar a near hundred, Laxman and Yuvraj half centuries and Dravid a forty but certainly bigger contributions were expected from a line up with so much experience and such superb credentials.
Even with the presence of a world record holder the Lankans did not seem to have an attack capable of bowling out India twice and yet that's precisely what happened. As for Gambhir he was brought down to earth with a sickening thud after flying high for a while.
Perhaps, I expected too much from the Indian batting line up and should have taken a closer look at India's record abroad. In the last nine years India have lost a series in the West Indies (2002), New Zealand (2002-03), Pakistan (2006), South Africa (2006-07), Australia (2007-08) and Sri Lanka twice as I mentioned earlier.
Like Sri Lanka, India are quite unbeatable at home and over the same period India have lost just one series at home against Australia in 2004. So, is this a case of tigers at home and lambs abroad? Not exactly, but all the same, I guess we had better temper our expectations when the team plays abroad and this includes the strong batting line up.
However, if the batting has to take the blame the bowling was not entirely blameless. For me, the figures against the spin duo of Pragyan Ojha and Harbhajan Singh sum up the whole sorry show - 58 overs, 213 runs, no wickets. To be candid the Indians had things under control when the home team were 393 for seven.
In retrospect, the major turning point of the match was the eighth wicket partnership of 115 runs between Lasith Malinga and Rangana Herath. From that moment on Sri Lanka were almost always calling the shots.
So what can India do to alter things in the second Test at Colombo? They will no doubt be encouraged by the fact that they have come back to win the second Test after losing the first on both their previous visits.
But, for that to happen they will have to raise the level of their performance and play like the No 1 team that they are, otherwise they will again be outplayed by a team placed three rungs below them in the ICC rankings.
The greater onus is perhaps on the star studded batting line-up but the bowlers especially the experienced if enigmatic Harbhajan Singh should also be alive to their responsibilities.
Source : Yahoo
I am well aware that Sri Lanka at home are a difficult side to beat and I also know that India has won three Tests to Sri Lanka's five in matches played in the island nation and that India has lost the last two contests away in 2001 and 2008. But then, India were not the No 1 Test playing nation.
I always trace India's climb to the top which they attained last year following a series of fine performances to the memorable victory over Australia at Kolkata in 2001. For me that match underlined India's batting strength, for after following on they scored 657 for seven declared, thanks mainly to the record 376-run fifth wicket partnership between Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman.
Since then, Indian batting has frequently touched dizzy heights and going into the Galle Test we had the top four having career averages of fifty plus and the fifth an average in the mid 40s. I am not too sure this has happened before in the long, rich history of Test cricket.
These Himalayan figures were achieved purely on merit for over the years the quintet of Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman had performed breathtaking feats both at home and away. Every one of them had at least one double century with Sehwag leading the pack with a round half a dozen including two triple hundreds.
In the process Indian totals hit the ceiling as 675 for five declared was notched up in Pakistan, 705 for seven declared in Australia, 664 in England and 726 for nine declared in India. Naturally enough the Indian line up was acknowledged in cricketing circles as the most lustrous in the game.
So admirably did the batsmen perform that they frequently covered up for the weaker link - the bowling - and they had the arsenal to come good in any situation. At Napier last year for example, when they were pushed to the wall by New Zealand and made to follow on 314 runs behind they batted over two days in a classic rearguard action to save the Test easily with a closing total of 476 for four in 180 overs. They proved that they were not only strokeplayers but also stonewallers.
I had this superb showing in mind when the Indians started their second innings at Galle. So strong was my faith in the Indian batting that I was sure they would save the match given the fact that the same six were on duty.
Looking at the scorebook and trying to analyze how a formidable batting line up could be bowled out for 276 and 338 it can quickly be seen that whereas they were no real failures - except one real disaster in Gambhir - the batsmen did not perform up to their lofty reputation. Sehwag got a century, Tendulkar a near hundred, Laxman and Yuvraj half centuries and Dravid a forty but certainly bigger contributions were expected from a line up with so much experience and such superb credentials.
Even with the presence of a world record holder the Lankans did not seem to have an attack capable of bowling out India twice and yet that's precisely what happened. As for Gambhir he was brought down to earth with a sickening thud after flying high for a while.
Perhaps, I expected too much from the Indian batting line up and should have taken a closer look at India's record abroad. In the last nine years India have lost a series in the West Indies (2002), New Zealand (2002-03), Pakistan (2006), South Africa (2006-07), Australia (2007-08) and Sri Lanka twice as I mentioned earlier.
Like Sri Lanka, India are quite unbeatable at home and over the same period India have lost just one series at home against Australia in 2004. So, is this a case of tigers at home and lambs abroad? Not exactly, but all the same, I guess we had better temper our expectations when the team plays abroad and this includes the strong batting line up.
However, if the batting has to take the blame the bowling was not entirely blameless. For me, the figures against the spin duo of Pragyan Ojha and Harbhajan Singh sum up the whole sorry show - 58 overs, 213 runs, no wickets. To be candid the Indians had things under control when the home team were 393 for seven.
In retrospect, the major turning point of the match was the eighth wicket partnership of 115 runs between Lasith Malinga and Rangana Herath. From that moment on Sri Lanka were almost always calling the shots.
So what can India do to alter things in the second Test at Colombo? They will no doubt be encouraged by the fact that they have come back to win the second Test after losing the first on both their previous visits.
But, for that to happen they will have to raise the level of their performance and play like the No 1 team that they are, otherwise they will again be outplayed by a team placed three rungs below them in the ICC rankings.
The greater onus is perhaps on the star studded batting line-up but the bowlers especially the experienced if enigmatic Harbhajan Singh should also be alive to their responsibilities.
Source : Yahoo
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