*Official* Sri Lanka in India

[Jono]

Did someone say Yuvraj is playing tests again?

He replaced Ganguly like 12 months ago!

1st Test: India v England at Chennai, Dec 11-15, 2008 | Cricket Scorecard | Cricinfo.com
2nd Test: India v England at Mohali, Dec 19-23, 2008 | Cricket Scorecard | Cricinfo.com
1st Test: New Zealand v India at Hamilton, Mar 18-21, 2009 | Cricket Scorecard | Cricinfo.com
2nd Test: New Zealand v India at Napier, Mar 26-30, 2009 | Cricket Scorecard | Cricinfo.com
3rd Test: New Zealand v India at Wellington, Apr 3-7, 2009 | Cricket Scorecard | Cricinfo.com

Including the current SL game, he's averaging 50 since his return (albeit hes played on a few flat tracks - but some of the runs have come at crucial times).

 

[Manee]

This is not looking good for India...Dilshan is looking very dangerous and it would seem that 426 is not enough on this track.

 

[chaminda_00]

How much will the BCCI offer for Vijay. We need a new opener. How can someone play 8 Test without a hundred. Will be interesting to see who we open with, if the selectors grow a brain and drop him. Mathews would be my pick, 2nd best player of seamers in the squad. I don;t think we will miss his bowling much. Though I would be happy with Silva.

 

[Howsie]

How much will the BCCI offer for Vijay. We need a new opener. How can someone play 8 Test without a hundred. Will be interesting to see who we open with, if the selectors grow a brain and drop him. Mathews would be my pick, 2nd best player of seamers in the squad. I don;t think we will miss his bowling much. Though I would be happy with Silva.

That's playing badly?

 

[chaminda_00]

That's playing badly?

Yes if your averaging in the 20s and only have two 50s. Paranavitana shipped sailed and he missed it, time to move on.

 

[Uppercut]

This is not looking good for India...Dilshan is looking very dangerous and it would seem that 426 is not enough on this track.

Shouldn't be losing after scoring 426 first up.

 

[DingDong]

why isnt kula shaker playing?? that guy is a gun bowler on flat tracks.

 

[G.I.Joe]

why isnt kula shaker playing?? that guy is a gun bowler on flat tracks.

He's probably working on his next album..

 

[Stapel]

It's good to see some decent Test Cricket again. 4 quick 1st session wickets followed by 3 huge partnerships, just to see a rather quick 2nd day tale collapse. And now a fine Sri Lankan reply. This Test is wonderfully set up and could really go any direction.

Shouldn't be losing after scoring 426 first up.

Well, England nearly did during the first Ashes test this summer. If Jayawardene & Samaraweera can hold on together, I can see the Lankans reach a big first innings lead, putting a lot of pressure on India.

Anyway, I got the feeling 426 was below par.

 

[Stapel]

Please don't gun me down for not knowing enough about the teams, but....

Where are Mendis & Malinga?

 

[chaminda_00]

Please don't gun me down for not knowing enough about the teams, but....

Where are Mendis & Malinga?

Malinga hasn't played a FC game in two years and Mendis is out of form and Herath is our in form spinner.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Thought SL being priced at 10 after the first day was a little extreme. Would say what has happened today was entirely predictable given even Yuvraj and Dhoni scored plenty of runs and India's weak tail.

 

[Stapel]

Malinga hasn't played a FC game in two years and Mendis is out of form and Herath is our in form spinner.

Well, they're both young, so we should expect them to bounce back from any form crisis they might be in. Too bad they're not in action though. They both are unique bowlers.

 

[honestbharani]

I am not sure about weak tail... The ball does do quite a bit in the morning since we start at 9:30 and it tends to be rather foggy at that time in the west of India during this season... Our handicap would be that we have an old ball and Ishant who is iffy first up tomorrow... So not expecting much big stuff, but with a fresh ball and two in form seamers, I would fancy any team's chances of picking up 2 or 3 early wickets in those conditions, no matter how flat the pitch is..

 

[Uppercut]

Well, England nearly did during the first Ashes test this summer. If Jayawardene & Samaraweera can hold on together, I can see the Lankans reach a big first innings lead, putting a lot of pressure on India.

Anyway, I got the feeling 426 was below par.

Aha, but just because England nearly did it doesn't mean it should happen. 426 is loads. If the pitch is so flat that the team batting second should be able to outscore it and set you a total then you shouldn't have any difficulty batting the game out. India might make things difficult for themselves, but they shouldn't.

 

[Woodster]

Aha, but just because England nearly did it doesn't mean it should happen. 426 is loads. If the pitch is so flat that the team batting second should be able to outscore it and set you a total then you shouldn't have any difficulty batting the game out. India might make things difficult for themselves, but they shouldn't.

The game is going along at a decent rate so despite a pretty healthy first innings score, there is still plenty of time left in this Test match should SL make an equally healthy/healthier score first up.

If the pitch remains flat then maybe there should be no trouble in seeing the game out. However, spin is expected to play an increasingly important role in this Test which means the likes of Murali, Herath, Harbhajan, Mishra etc, will be confident of turning the game their sides way.

 

[Stapel]

Aha, but just because England nearly did it doesn't mean it should happen. 426 is loads. If the pitch is so flat that the team batting second should be able to outscore it and set you a total then you shouldn't have any difficulty batting the game out. India might make things difficult for themselves, but they shouldn't.

The point is that the pitch is expected to detoriate. At least, that's what I've been told.

I think 400, 425 or 450 in the 1st innings of a test is not enough to realistically expect the team betting first to either win or draw the test. On a flat pitch, which shouldn't be so flat on day 4 or 5, 500 should be the minimum. If the Lankans reach 550+ tomorrow (big if though, yet possible I think), and if Herath & Murali get things right, when they bowl on day 4, India might have a problem.

 

[Jono]

Thought SL being priced at 10 after the first day was a little extreme. Would say what has happened today was entirely predictable given even Yuvraj and Dhoni scored plenty of runs and India's weak tail.

I strongly disagree that Zaheer and Harbhajan make up a weak tail.

We have two players who can't hold a bat. The others have multiple test 50s.

 

[Notorious1]

Harbhajan has improved quite a bit with the bat, but throws his wicket away a bit too often.

 

[Notorious1]

The game has changed so much, a side even after scoring 400+ in the first innings is not safe.