The series-levelling win was all the more fulfilling for it followed an abject performance in the first Test. That the side turned matters so comprehensively around was an indication of its inherent resilience. S. Ram Mahesh reports.
India’s remarkable run of comebacks — and successes — abroad continued when Anil Kumble’s side registered a 170-run win in the second Test at Galle, a wind-swept coastal town in southwest Sri Lanka.
The series-levelling win, achieved with a day to spare, means that in the period since April 2006, India has tasted success in five of the six major tours overseas, Pakistan being the only exception, and that too because the sides haven’t clashed in Test cricket during the last two years.
India, under Rahul Dravid, won series in the West Indies and England, and a Test in South Africa. Kumble, who captained the side to a famous win over world champion Australia in Perth, ensured he’d go down in history as the man who led India to only its third Test win in Sri Lanka.
The victory was all the more fulfilling for it followed an abject performance in the first Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC). That the side turned matters so comprehensively around was an indication of its inherent resilience.
“I was confident we would come back,” said the Indian captain, referring to the innings and 239 runs defeat in the first Test. “One look at the dressing room shows you how much potential this team has. This team has been through ups and downs, but there was no doubt that we would regroup and come back hard. This group has shown amazing resilience not just once but time and time again.”
The victory was set up by Virender Sehwag; his opening partner Gautam Gambhir mustn’t be overlooked however. The pair scattered Sri Lanka after Anil Kumble won an important toss. The right-left combination played India’s tormentors from the first Test, Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis, with consummate ease. But with Gambhir’s departure, India’s out-of-form middle-order (in the context of the series, that is) was subjected to scrutiny. During a gloomy second-half of the first day, Chaminda Vaas and Mendis shared four wickets to pull things back for Sri Lanka.
The narrative of the second day involved Sehwag’s quest to propel India to 400. He carried his bat, making 201, but the scant support he received from the other end meant India finished with no more than 329. So dominant was Sehwag that at times he appeared to be playing different bowlers on a different surface, not the menacing ones that were consuming his mates. Mendis was Sri Lanka’s best bowler, the mystery spinner earning his first haul of five or more wickets in only his second Test.
Sri Lanka began its reply robustly with opener Malinda Warnapura, first-Test centurion, and Kumar Sangakkara putting on a display of sumptuous driving. Just as it seemed that Sri Lanka might take control, Harbhajan Singh struck. Bowling better than he has in the last four years, the off-spinner forced the match back India’s way.
Sri Lanka’s batsmen were fortunate to survive chances that on another day might have brought India a substantial first-innings lead. Sri Lanka also had the best of several close calls. Two involved referrals of leg-before decisions: umpire Billy Doctrove upheld both his initial verdicts — Ishant Sharma (given out in the first innings), Warnapura (adjudged not out in Sri Lanka’s first innings) — although the replays appeared to recommend reversals.
The interpretation of television umpire Gamini Silva — filling in for Mark Benson, who was in turn substituting for an ill Rudi Koertzen — on line-ball decisions wasn’t ironclad either. Why Kumble was sent on his way adjudged stumped with his foot on the line, while Samaraweera, found on the line by an athletic pick-and-throw from Zaheer, wasn’t, was anybody’s guess.
Having procured a lead of 37, India set about enlarging it. The side turned again to its openers, who had shown that Murali and Mendis could be tamed. Both made half-centuries, with Gambhir unlucky not to make more than 74. The left-hander conducted a mini masterclass in playing spin, frequently driving Sri Lanka’s formidable spinners inside-out. Sehwag’s audacity allowed Gambhir to advance in his slipstream. Hearteningly for India, Dravid found his touch in the second innings. The great batsman had appeared a shadow of his former self on tour, and he finally slipped off the manacles.
But another Indian collapse — four wickets in 13 balls — offered Sri Lanka a sniff. The home side was set 307 to win, and Mahela Jayawardene, the skipper, had said the previous day that his side could bring down 500. Ishant Sharma stepped to the plate.
The 19-year-old delivered as fine a spell of fast bowling in Asian conditions as one would hope to see, troubling Sri Lanka’s batsmen with bounce and movement. “Ishant is an exceptional bowler with his height and everything,” said Jayawardene. “He created a bit of bounce on this kind of wicket. That’s something that India has.”
Harbhajan finished with his first 10-wicket haul outside India, emerging from a dark phase that involved a race row and a suspension for slapping an opposition member, to drive India to a famous win.
THE SCORESSecond Test, Galle, July 31-August 3. India won by 170 runs.
India — 1st innings: G. Gambhir lbw b Mendis 56; V. Sehwag (not out) 201; R. Dravid c Warnapura b Mendis 2; S. Tendulkar lbw b Vaas 5; S. Ganguly c P. Jayawardene b Vaas 0; V. V. S. Laxman c Samaraweera b Mendis 39; D. Karthik lbw b Mendis 7; A. Kumble st. P. Jayawardene b Muralitharan 4; Harbhajan Singh b Mendis 1; Zaheer Khan c P. Jayawardene b Muralitharan 2; Ishant Sharma lbw b Mendis 0; Extras (b-1, lb-4, w-7) 12. Total: 329.
Fall of wickets: 1-167, 2-173, 3-178, 4-178, 5-278, 6-290, 7-317, 8-318, 9-323.
Sri Lanka bowling: Vaas 19-2-74-2; Kulasekara 8-1-40-0; Mendis 28-1-117-6; Muralitharan 27-1-93-2.
Sri Lanka — 1st innings: M. Vandort c Dravid b Zaheer 4; M. Warnapura c Gambhir b Harbhajan 66; K. Sangakkara c & b Harbhajan 68; M. Jayawardene c Karthik b Kumble 86; T. Samaraweera lbw b Harbhajan 14; T. Dilshan c Gambhir b Harbhajan 0; P. Jayawardene c Laxman b Harbhajan 24; C. Vaas c Harbhajan b Kumble 1; N. Kulasekara (not out) 5; A. Mendis lbw b Kumble 0; M. Muralitharan c Ganguly b Harbhajan 0; Extras (b-10, lb-12, nb-2) 24. Total: 292.
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-137, 3-144, 4-192, 5-192, 6-250, 7-255, 8-291, 9-291.
India bowling: Zaheer 9-1-51-1; I. Sharma 8-1-36-0; A. Kumble 36-7-81-3; Harbhajan 40.3-8-102-6.
India — 2nd innings: G. Gambhir b Mendis 74; V. Sehwag c Dilshan b Vaas 50; R. Dravid lbw b Muralitharan 44; S. Tendulkar c M. Jayawardene b Vaas 31; S. Ganguly st. P. Jayawardene b Muralitharan 16; V. V. S. Laxman lbw b Mendis 13; D. Karthik c Sangakkara b Muralitharan 20; A. Kumble lbw b Mendis 2; Harbhajan Singh c & b Mendis 11; I. Sharma (run out) 0; Zaheer Khan (not out) 1; Extras (lb-7) 7. Total: 269.
Fall of wickets: 1-90, 2-144, 3-200, 4-200, 5-221, 6-252, 7-255, 8-257, 9-257.
Sri Lanka bowling: Vaas 13-4-32-2; Kulasekara 5-0-31-0; Muralitharan 31-3-107-3; Mendis 27.2-4-92-4.
Sri Lanka — 2nd innings: M. Vandort lbw b Harbhajan 10; M. Warnapura c Laxman b I. Sharma 0; K. Sangakkara c Laxman b Zaheer 1; M. Jayawardene c Dravid b I. Sharma 5; T. Samaraweera (not out) 67; T. Dilshan c Karthik b I. Sharma 38; P. Jayawardene c Ganguly b Harbhajan 4; C. Vaas lbw b Harbhajan 0; N. Kulasekara c I. Sharma b Kumble 1; A. Mendis c Kumble b Harbhajan 2; M. Muralitharan c & b Kumble 0; Extras (b-4, lb-2, nb-2) 8. Total: 136.
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-5, 3-10, 4-37, 5-113, 6-130, 7-131, 8-132, 9-135.
India bowling: Zaheer 8-1-18-1; I. Sharma 15-8-20-3; Kumble 10.3-3-41-2; Harbhajan 14-1-51-4.
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