Swords Drawn at Dusk
Harbhajan Singh did what Ajantha Mendis did to India: wobble the line up. Sri Lanka seemed good for the going with Warnapura and Sangakkara half centuries. But the situation changed after tea to a point where Sri Lanka, for the first time in the series, will have their grit tested if they are to undo the single-handed feat of Virender Sehwag that now stand between them and a plausible defeat.
Four big wickets fell for fifty-five runs and Harbhajan featured in every one of them post tea. Earlier in the day it was Ajantha Mendis who derailed the staggering Indian train further, India’s final six making a short half-century, enough to get Sehwag a double.
Harbhajan Singh gave India the breakthrough, having Warnapura caught at point, Gautam Gambhir taking a sharp catch almost as if to atone for the catch he was to drop later. The partnership broken, it was not long before the other wicket fell as well, Harbhajan masterminding a caught-and-bowled to send Sangakkara back. Sri Lanka hoped the centurions from the first Test would restart the suddenly halted Sri Lankan juggernaut. But Thilan Samaraweera and Tilleratne Dilshan too fell for Harbhajan’s guile and snare in the same over, Dilshan a straight forward bat-pad catch as straightforward as bat-pad catches come. Samaraweera used the review but in vain. Harbhajan and the lbw decision stayed; Samaraweera had to walk back.
Harbhajan’s attempt to snag one more fell on the deaf ears of the umpire. He immediately turned to the captain for relief and he called upon the review. The decision remained the same. Mahela Jayawardene lived to see another day, partnered by his namesake, Prasanna Jayawardene.
The only way to explain Harbhajan’s extraordinary effort in a seemingly barren Indian line up is that perhaps Harbhajan is finally applying himself to the task, a cue his teammates would do well to take. A possible Test victory beckons; but can team India pull it together and not leave it to Sehwag and Bhajji?
The morning session could have had only one hero, from the Indian team that is. For India to make any kind of dent on the Sri Lankan psyche, Sehwag had to continue his run making machine with little talent for company. His double century stands out in an otherwise bleak scorecard and it was nearly denied to him.
Could team India be playing on a different pitch than Sehwag?
Teasing time at tea:
Sri Lanka went into the tea break with far fewer worries than India did when play was called off last night. India were a better position than Sri Lanka were at tea but frittered it away through some good bowling and not so impressive batting at the end of the day. Apart from the loss of Michael Vandort early to Zaheer Khan, Sri Lanka had in-form opener Malinda Warnapura and Kumar Sangakkara biding time and biting into the run deficit, each indulging in an easy made half century, without too much concern.
(Parthiv Patel must surely be warming in the nets. Dinesh Karthik, after having been given a second chance in light of a poor first Test, is failing to pick the line of the ball as well as pick up his own skills. The otherwise reliable hands have failed him and Sri Lanka received a reprieve as Karthik failed to collect the ball cleanly after Sangakkara misread the line and then missed the stumping, all in a matter of seconds. His silence behind the stumps is perhaps indicative of his own self-confidence which must be taking a beating on this horrendous Sri Lanka tour so far for him.)
For Sri Lanka, it was a cash rich time once more for Ajantha Mendis, his six wickets once again denting the egos of this rather reputed line up. The change of guard must be heartening for Indian interests. Muttiah Muralitharan surprisingly failed to join in the spoils. Luckily Sri Lanka have found a potential worthy successor who managed to tie down the Indians even with the maestro was having a lackluster time.
The morning yielded a century partnership between V.V.S. Laxman and Sehwag. But it was pretty obvious that Sehwag would be all on his own once Laxman departed. But Sehwag has been the lone star even yesterday when even bigger names unraveled. Sehwag refused to let the momentum slip and credit to him that India did get as far as 329. His defiant knock suddenly saved skipper Anil Kumble and coach Gary Kirsten some embarrassment and has given India at least a fighting first innings. That he happens to be the only Indian to carry his bat through the innings comes as a surprise, given that the Indian team has had such illustrious batsmen in its line up, and not just in the present generation of players.
It is hard to expect the tail order to do it when the top order has failed. Having said that, there are a few points that need to be drilled into them, especially in a scenario where every run scored becomes precious but standing at the crease even more of relevance. Darren Pattinson may have had a short international stint at Headingley. But he showed the way for the tailenders to stand tall and be counted. The runs were insignificant compared to the manner in which he blocked delivery after delivery and frustrated the South Africans while lending his partnership the stroke maker Stuart Broad.
Zaheer Khan’s reckless shot that cost him his wicket is the perfect example of everyone wanting to be heroes. But somebody in the dressing room needs to tell men of his ilk and their heroic traits come from their ability to hold up one end, and rotate the strike so the men in form, in this case – only Sehwag, can use the opportunity of the strike to get some valuable runs for the team.
