I've kept quiet in the outrage that has no doubt been on this and many other forums following India's loss but I remain optimistic of drawing or winning the series. We have now taken a look at Mendis (why there was not much more focus on Mendis prior to the series was baffling, with India seemingly learning as they went on) and realise that the threat of Muralitharan in Sri Lanka is no doubt the greatest. However, the Sri Lankan pace attack is weak, Vaas and Kulesekara are both 120kph trundlers who pose little threat in Tests in Sri Lanka. Prasad being called up to the squad may change that, as he is known to bowl 145kph but sources indicate that he won't play in the second Test but rather that Thushara will play - someone who India should negotiate with ease.
As for the bowling, I am in favour of really looking hard at changing the bowling attack. Zaheer Khan should not play in the second Test, imo, as I question his fitness and ability to play as early as Thursday after his overs in the first Test. I would like Munaf Patel to play with India retaining the two spinners strategy. I would also like Virender Sehwag to be used in greater abundance, to rest the other bowlers and as a potent threat. Sehwag has good control of flight and could become a legitamate attacking option given some good length control and some slow, spongy bounce. I think it is pretty poor that India's pace bowlers have not shown an ability to adapt to conditions very similar to home conditions. Whereas Pakistani fast bowlers are mainly very good at reverse swing, we rarely see it from India's bowlers; on a side note, I am starting to doubt that reverse swing is as complicated as the media have made it seem, from what I gather, it is just a matter of keeping the ball dry and getting the seam angled the opposite way to which you want it to swing. This also requires you to pitch it up, something which we did not see enough of from Zaheer Khan whereas Ishant is a hit the pitch bowler, but even he bowled a tad short. His pace was dropping low to 130kph and it was evident that he was being over bowled. Pace and bounce is the main weapon of the inaccurate quickie and this will be sucked out of him unless Kumble bowls himself and Harbhajan more overs, also giving more overs to Sehwag and possibly Tendulkar, as a wicket taking option. Considering what I have written, five bowlers may seem an option, but I feel that such a player will weaken the batting line up too much, especially with Muralitharan and Mendis possibly working in tandem to dismiss him in no time.
Some may consider dropping Harbhajan but I feel that this would be an unreasonable move after he was top wicket taker against South Africa in India, which are similar conditions to Sri Lanka. However, his recent Test form is unacceptable and he should be on a short leash with Amit Mishra as the possible long term replacement - I guess Ojha should come in if Harbhajan has been similarly ineffective in the second (and third) Test but I don't rate his potential as a wicket taking option in Tests.
Dinesh Karthik must stay in the team. His keeping is what is under question and his keeping is quite simply far better than Parthiv Patel's. Patel probably has the edge as far as lower order batting goes, but this is not the issue at hand; India's batting had a massive blip but they are still a very strong (albeit overhyped) line up to tackle Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. The mere change which needs to be made is playing VVS Laxman at three and playing Rahul Dravid at number six, he is far better at playing with the tail and, out of form, he is best lower down the order, where falling early will not be as critical as it could be at the top of the order. India's strategy of attack against the new ball bowlers was a good one, as it seizes the initiative early, however, such an attack must be done with caution as losing a wicket or two against the substandard Sri Lankan pace attack is not something we can afford.
