It is easy to say this tour has been all about the bowlers and in particular, the spinners. Sri Lanka’s batting has faltered in the second ODI and for either team to succeed, it comes as no surprise that only the team with the better skill sets when it comes to batting will make it in this one day series as well.
After the slow Dambulla, the action now moves to Colombo and the Premadasa stadium. While Dambulla was expected to be marginally in favour of the batsmen, both teams struggled to cope. The odds then were even when India won the second encounter. The series now hinges on a different venue. While early speculation lay in the fact that the Premadasa would be more batsmen friendly than Dambulla, fresh reports suggest that it is unlikely that Sri Lanka would want to let go their hold over the Indians with the Mendia-Muralitharan madness, and hence, Premadasa will turn. How considerable in the context of a one day game, only the match can tell.
The batsmen are left with little choice, as is India. Sri Lanka failed to cope with the early conditions in the second one day international and failed miserably. Their openers would be looking to kick things off better after Mahela Jayawardene staving off the opposition on more than one occasion. More will be expected of the likes of Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara to lend substance to the innings and to support Jayawardene. India may not have many olds hands; but Sri Lanka do and it will be their interest to throw the gauntlet at young India.
India have had their woes against this spin colossus. Gautam Gambhir remains India’s prime hope after missing out with the sniff neck. That is a worthwhile reflection in spite of the fact that Virat Kohli stuck around and Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Subramaniam Badrinath managed to cope sufficiently enough to see India through on what was clearly not as easy chase. India will need to show much gumption if they are to thwart the twenty overs of deadly spin and go on to post or chase a total of significance.
Despite the heroics of the bowlers, Zaheer Khan and Praveen Kumar, much more will be expected of the spinners as well if India must seal this Sri Lankan batting line up completely before they are able to do further damage. This series has been about the better batting side in the face of some good bowling. Unfortunately for India, they have not come together for a comprehensive victory.
Their second match victory at Dambulla will not have dented the Sri Lankans much other than the fact that they were perhaps given a shake up from mistaken complacency. It will not be an easy task for young India when the veterans failed to cope. But it is the time to show more fortitude rather than flamboyance because India still have a long road to traverse if they are to get close to making amends for the Test series. It would help though if they got off to a winning start at the Premadasa!
