The trick in India is to bat big once you win the toss. India made a recovery on the first day, but a total of 426 on a wicket as dull and dreary as the one at Motera needed more.
Sri Lanka drove home the point with the highest-ever score recorded on Indian soil. The hosts needed to fight till the end to escape with a draw. The heroes were Gautam Gambhir and Sachin Tendulkar. But so huge was the deficit that India weren’t completely out of woods, even at tea. A little bit of wear and tear on the pitch and India could have been embarrassed.
Full credit to Sri Lanka for standing up in the manner they did. Their famed middle-order did well and Mahela Jayawardene is one of their greatest batsmen ever. The outline of the series is now clearly laid. Both sides can’t afford to have a bad day with the bat in the series. One bad session and it might cost them the match.
Kanpur could be another Motera and only Mumbai could break the stalemate. The heartening part from India’s point of view was Rahul Dravid’s batting. He was in a different zone altogether on the first day, hitting sumptuously and maintaining a good strike rate.
{{/usCountry}}Kanpur could be another Motera and only Mumbai could break the stalemate. The heartening part from India’s point of view was Rahul Dravid’s batting. He was in a different zone altogether on the first day, hitting sumptuously and maintaining a good strike rate.
{{/usCountry}}Zaheer Khan, back in the side needs more bowling under his belt.
Both Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra disappointed, but then, the wicket was such that any bowler would have struggled. Mishra in particular, might need to go back and play a few first class games.