***Official*** Sri Lanka in India 2017

[vcs]

Welldone Lanka. There's been lots of talk in this thread really putting the team in the gutter when its unwarranted. This is the same team that defeated Aus 3 nill and whitewashed Pakistan away. You don't do that if you are a **** team. The pitch today was very similar to the last days of the test matches in which ENG played, an utter road, where Jadeja and Ashwin ran through the English line up. You have to have some spine to get a draw out of a situation like that and they've done that brilliantly. If there were enough overs they had an outside chance to walk out of India with a draw.

This part is very true. England's loss in Chennai last year is comparable, it was pretty flat for a day 5 wicket and they only had to bat 90 overs, in fact they didn't lose a wicket till lunch. I guess they were mentally gone by that point. Well done to SL for grinding it out.

In fact there are hardly any teams in world cricket right now that I'd trust to bat out time in a situation like this. I haven't seen India tested in this manner in their recent run (having to bat out 80+ overs for a draw or having to chase a 200+ 4th innings target for a win) yet. The 2009-10 team did that successfully a lot of times.

 

[Daemon]

They had an outside chance of winning it though. I would give them a 25 per cent chance but if history is any indication, it would gave gotten harder as they got close to the target and they probably would have folded in the end.

You said if they had more overs, they could've won, but my point was that if they did have that many overs, India wouldn't have declared so early.

The longer the game, the bigger the margin of victory for India.

 

[srbhkshk]

I actually think India's gameplan kind of got disturbed on the second day itself with the pollution issue, no way was Kohli declaring (or getting out) at 530 without that, would have probably batted till half the session after Tea.

 

[Burner]

You said if they had more overs, they could've won, but my point was that if they did have that many overs, India wouldn't have declared so early.

The longer the game, the bigger the margin of victory for India.

Yeah that's fair. There had been a lot of declaration talk before India even got to 400 tbh. I remember Hayden saying that India should declare at any score over 300 and get as many overs to bowl at SL as they can because there was "no way" SL was chasing that down. Would India have had gone on batting if they had a lead of 400 before Tea on the 4th day?

 

[Migara]

They had an outside chance of winning it though. I would give them a 25 per cent chance but if history is any indication, it would gave gotten harder as they got close to the target and they probably would have folded in the end.

We could have won first test. Bad selection was the key. Not selecting Nuwan Pradeep cost us 100 runs at least. He on that green monster would have sent the Indian line up rolling. And he's better on roads, because he's one of those bowlers who produce a jaffa time to time.

 

[Burner]

And not selecting Kusal Mendis didn't help either. I do think that Samarawickrama is pretty alright though. Didn't do anything this series but I think he can make it in the middle order.

 

[smash84]

Worst time to hold tests in delhi with all the smog and pollution

 

[Migara]

Chandimal climbs to #9 in test rankings. Haters can suck it.

 

[Black_Warrior]

SL have been odd in the last two years or so
Whitewashed Australia but would've lost to Zimbabwe if not for a **** umpiring decision, accomplished what no one else has by beating Pakistan in uae but also lost a home test to Bangladesh. Then they got blanked by India at home but come here without some of their best players out and put up a damn good fight.

Welldone Lanka. There's been lots of talk in this thread really putting the team in the gutter when its unwarranted. This is the same team that defeated Aus 3 nill and whitewashed Pakistan away. You don't do that if you are a **** team. The pitch today was very similar to the last days of the test matches in which ENG played, an utter road, where Jadeja and Ashwin ran through the English line up. You have to have some spine to get a draw out of a situation like that and they've done that brilliantly. If there were enough overs they had an outside chance to walk out of India with a draw.

This for me is the very point of Test cricket and why it gets more respect than any other form of cricket. And this is also why I never really bought into the "take out the BD/Zim stats" or "take out the crap team stats" because you never know when a test team comes back and bites you in the bum. Its such a great leveler.

Against Australia, Sri Lanka got bowled out for 120 in the 1st innings. Had Australia taken a big lead, that series might very well have gone in a different direction.
Against Pakistan, they won the 1st test by 21 runs.

Sure Sri Lanka have been playing awfully and have had awful results since the last 2 years. But the next time they go out to play a test match, they have as much chance as any other team.

 

[SeamUp]

Chandimal climbs to #9 in test rankings. Haters can suck it.

He was impressive on his first tour to SA but utterly pathetic last time. Obviously a top player but was really disappointed with him considering his first tour here.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Yeah it's safe to say Chandimal and Matthews won't be the next Sanga/Mahela. They will be 45 avg players which is very good still, but perhaps Sri Lanka need a bit more from their leading batsmen

 

[randycricfreak]

Yeah it's safe to say Chandimal and Matthews won't be the next Sanga/Mahela. They will be 45 avg players which is very good still, but perhaps Sri Lanka need a bit more from their leading batsmen

I think Chandimal has the ability to average 50 in Tests.Don't forget he started off at 7 as a keeper.Now he's the captain *** the most in form- bat

 

[Migara]

Yeah it's safe to say Chandimal and Matthews won't be the next Sanga/Mahela. They will be 45 avg players which is very good still, but perhaps Sri Lanka need a bit more from their leading batsmen

Chandimal may end up with a more consistent record than Sanga. He laready has shown more consistency than Mahela with his home and away averages.

 

[randycricfreak]

Chandimal may end up with a more consistent record than Sanga. He laready has shown more consistency than Mahela with his home and away averages.

Thats a serious comment mate.We're talking about one of greatest bats to grace the game, on par with Lara, & Sachin better than Punter and Kallis.

You are just guessing when you're extraapolating like that.At best Chandimal would be a mid 50s bat, but can't really tell.He's not the sort of a batsman who is going to dominate the bowling attacks.Maybe dig in there and be consistent YES.But you know you're not going to get big double hundreds, if you're striking @sub40s

 

[Black_Warrior]

Thats a serious comment mate.We're talking about one of greatest bats to grace the game, on par with Lara, & Sachin better than Punter and Kallis.

You are just guessing when you're extraapolating like that.At best Chandimal would be a mid 50s bat, but can't really tell.He's not the sort of a batsman who is going to dominate the bowling attacks.Maybe dig in there and be consistent YES.But you know you're not going to get big double hundreds, if you're striking @sub40s

True, however Sanga's batting for the first few years of test cricket was around 40-45 avg level. I think it was around 2008-09 onwards when he stepped on the next level and ultimately ended up averaging higher than Lara, Tendulkar, Ponting.

Chandimal is what 3-4 years old in test cricket? Not saying he will reach Sanga level..as no one really knows but pretty sure no one knew around 2004-05 that Sanga would average 57.

Personally I don't think Chandimal will get there, but I see where Migara is coming from

 

[randycricfreak]

True, however Sanga's batting for the first few years of test cricket was around 40-45 avg level. I think it was around 2008-09 onwards when he stepped on the next level and ultimately ended up averaging higher than Lara, Tendulkar, Ponting.

Chandimal is what 3-4 years old in test cricket? Not saying he will reach Sanga level..as no one really knows but pretty sure no one knew around 2004-05 that Sanga would average 57.

Personally I don't think Chandimal will get there, but I see where Migara is coming from

Yeah Sanga was a late bloomer.Got in to the national side at 23 as a keeper.Worked a lot in his batting.
But he did have a,
230 Vs Pakistan 2002 (25)
200 odd Vs SA 2004 (27)
270 Vs Zimbabwe 2004 (27)

Chandi does have good knocks.But I feel Sanga was still ahead than Chandi at the same point in his career.He would break the highest p'ship record with Mahela scoring 624 against a quality line up having Steyn,Pollock ,Ntini,Boje at the age of 29.

 

[randycricfreak]

Correction no Pollock,it was Nel,Hall instead

 

[Black_Warrior]

Chandimal has a few of those too right? 2015 1st test vs India
The 1st test vs Pakistan in UAE this year
Got a crucial hundred vs Australia last year after the top order was wiped out for 20 odd.
This test match


Again not saying he will get there and it's anybody's guess. Personally I rate Matthews higher but it doesn't look like he will get there either with the amount of time he spends out of cricket.

 

[randycricfreak]

Chandimal has a few of those too right? 2015 1st test vs India
The 1st test vs Pakistan in UAE this year
Got a crucial hundred vs Australia last year after the top order was wiped out for 20 odd.
This test match


Again not saying he will get there and it's anybody's guess. Personally I rate Matthews higher but it doesn't look like he will get there either with the amount of time he spends out of cricket.

I was only talking about the length of the knocks,not the quality of the knock.Even Chandi has done alright, considering he has been up and down the batting line up.Personally no.5 is suited for him.He should get ample support from Mathews,and the rest to score consistently big..

 

[Himannv]

Thats a serious comment mate.We're talking about one of greatest bats to grace the game, on par with Lara, & Sachin better than Punter and Kallis.

Agree regarding Mahela's awesomeness.