***Official*** Sri Lanka in India

[honestbharani]

Well done, Pathan, Dravid and Vaas. I always thought Pathan would be useless in India as a bowler, but he bowled a really good spell in the first innings of Sri Lanka. He kept the runs down and bowled in the right areas most of the time, without looking for too much swing or seam and it worked well. Kumble is a champion. He is still a genius when it comes to exploiting useful conditions and running through sides once he gets a sneak in. Unfortunate that Dravid had to get out that way. He was looking good for a lot. Let's hope Sourav and Yuvi and Dhoni can make a few more runs quickly and then hopefully, we can try and bowl out Sri Lanka.

 

[shankar]

It was interesting to see both Pathan and Vaas getting reverse and conventional swing at the same time.

 

[jack_sparrow]

pathan joins Warne on the "almost centurion" list

actuallllyyyyyyyyy, waqar younis. He's the one who's scored the most runs in the number 8 spot, without scoring a century or even many half centuries.

 

[shankar]

Also good to see that Pathan hasn't got carried away and doesn't consider himself an all-rounder yet:

"It's not that I didn't have confidence in my batting before today, but I don't want to think of myself as an allrounder yet. If the people and the media want to call me that, that's their choice. I know my limitations, and I play within them. It will take time for me to become an allrounder, I will need to perform consistently for two-three years. When I feel confident that I am an allrounder, I will then tell the world myself that I am now an allrounder."

from Cricinfo

 

[marc71178]

It was interesting to see both Pathan and Vaas getting reverse and conventional swing at the same time.

Would that be a ball that moves in an S shape, or one that goes dead straight then?

 

[magsi23]

Good performance by india, cant see them loosing from here, well done kumble and pathan

 

[Jono]

Also good to see that Pathan hasn't got carried away and doesn't consider himself an all-rounder yet:

"It's not that I didn't have confidence in my batting before today, but I don't want to think of myself as an allrounder yet. If the people and the media want to call me that, that's their choice. I know my limitations, and I play within them. It will take time for me to become an allrounder, I will need to perform consistently for two-three years. When I feel confident that I am an allrounder, I will then tell the world myself that I am now an allrounder."

from Cricinfo

Go Irfan.

A lead of 400 would be ideal before SL are in. Ganguly and Yuvraj have batted well because after Dravid was run out anything could have happened but they steadied. And with Dhoni to come, hopefully we'll get there and have a good crack at SL with plenty of time to get them out.

 

[SJS]

Go Irfan.

A lead of 400 would be ideal before SL are in. Ganguly and Yuvraj have batted well because after Dravid was run out anything could have happened but they steadied. And with Dhoni to come, hopefully we'll get there and have a good crack at SL with plenty of time to get them out.

If Murali doesnt strike in the first ten overs, its done.

 

[Jono]

Yeah really all eyes are on him, he's the major factor in which way the result of this match will go. Obviously if SL bat well in the 2nd innings they could chase down a large target, but I'd expect that most people believe this test match lies on how the Indians play Murali early today.

 

[R_D]

400 would be ideal lead but i reckon even 350 is goin to be enough.
Kumble is goin to have a field day and hopefully Harbhjan does somthign as well, he usually bowls better in 2nd innings

 

[SJS]

400 would be ideal lead but i reckon even 350 is goin to be enough.
Kumble is goin to have a field day and hopefully Harbhjan does somthign as well, he usually bowls better in 2nd innings

Yes, 350 should do it 99 times out of 100 but that one time......

Just to let us old foggies escape the palpitations, you know

 

[dinu23]

this match is over for the sri lankans as far as I'm concerned.

 

[andyc]

And Ganguly edges on to the stumps, Murali gets his first wicket and Dhoni comes in

 

[Jono]

Lead of 335 now with 4 wickets in hand. Yuvraj and Dhoni need to get a few more before I'll feel safe.

 

[Jono]

Great 50 by Yuvraj. When he came in after Dravid's wicket anything could have happened, but he steadied with Ganguly and now can take India to a commanding, hopefully match-winning lead. A few months ago I was one of many who were heavily criticising Yuvraj's performance and questioning his place in the team, both in ODIs and tests. Since then he's comprehensively proved me wrong.

 

[Dasa]

Great 50 by Yuvraj. When he came in after Dravid's wicket anything could have happened, but he steadied with Ganguly and now can take India to a commanding, hopefully match-winning lead. A few months ago I was one of many who were heavily criticising Yuvraj's performance and questioning his place in the team, both in ODIs and tests. Since then he's comprehensively proved me wrong.

I was one of those as well. Can someone who is actually watching tell me how well he's batting, and how he's looked against Murali?

 

[SJS]

Great 50 by Yuvraj. When he came in after Dravid's wicket anything could have happened, but he steadied with Ganguly and now can take India to a commanding, hopefully match-winning lead. A few months ago I was one of many who were heavily criticising Yuvraj's performance and questioning his place in the team, both in ODIs and tests. Since then he's comprehensively proved me wrong.

So was I - critical of him that is. But have you noticed the marked change in his batting.

He is playing much straighter.

When in doubt, he doesnt go blindly across and try to sweep the spinning delivery out of the way, hoping to make contact. He drives them off the front foot or plays back. Very decicive in his footwork. When you start doing that, there will be the odd ball which is just right for sweeping and the feet move automatically in place and the ball hits the sweet spot. He is sweeping rarely but surely when he does.

It may be a coincidence but it is timed with the start of the Sri Lankan one day series. Maybe the new coach has been talking to him but finally it is he who has to deliver and he has done it in style.

Well done Yuvraj

 

[andyc]

Dhoni brings up his 50 with a six and India promptly declare, 435 runs in front.

 

[SJS]

I may be imagining this but everytime the Indian batting gets on top, Murali is taken off by Atapattu. It would be shocking if the greatest off spinner the game has known needs protection

 

[SJS]

Who will India open with and who will they drop when Sehwag comes back ?

It would be stupid to open with non-specialist openers. Thus even if Gambhir has to be dropped, they ought to bring in another specialist in his place.

Playing one of the middle order batsmen or Pathan would be extremely short sighted thing to do unless that person is expected to open in the long run. India has suffered too long for want of an opening pair to start this silly 'protect-your-flock' game all over again.

It would be travesty of justice to drop Yuvraj after the second innings display and dropping Ganguly is also a tough decision. Dropping Laxman would mean axing the player who, during the time he spent on the crease, made playing Murali seem the easiest thing in the world. Tendulkar may have stolen the show with his 35th test century but still the best innings of the match so far has been Laxman's first innings 69. Dropping him would show that you being God-fsther-less in Indian cricket is still a curse.

So what will they do.

In a toss up between Yuvraj and Ganguly, Yuvraj should make it on his superior fielding skills. But you need guts and strength of conviction to drop Ganguly and forget about the fall out of an Indian media which has the knives sharpened and ready for Chappell.

Tough one that.