Rahul Dravid is bravely facing his demons. And he has an injured foot soldier for company. India though are looking worse for wear and it may as much the weariness of playing three grueling Tests against a man (and team) they have really failed to unravel as much as the fact that India, that includes the players that have actually taken the field at sometime today, are looking more and more like the casualties of war.
The frustrations continued right through the day. Even when Kumar Sangakkara disappeared into the pavilion after a well made 144, there was no respite for India as the last three wickets added to their woes. The lead of seventy-five turned into a monumental lead of 147. But the over reliance on the openers (stated earlier in the day, read Morning Break) was visible once more when after the departure of the duo, matters were plain disdainful for India’s cause.
Dravid is holding on steadily and his painstaking forty-seven is now his highest in the series, giving an idea of what a contrast it has been for the top order when compared with the openers. Reviews would have yielded little (and they did) because the Sri Lankan bowlers rarely strayed in line and lengths and had India struggling to get past the deficit.
With VVS Laxman, the only other recognized batsman, India look to brace themselves for a series defeat unless the Kolkata magic can be revived. A difficult proposition given than Dammika Prasad has joined the party and Mendis is already making history taking the most wickets in a series with twenty-five to his name. It’s all slipping rather despondently.
Morning Break:
What a horror the session has turned out to be. It is becoming apparent how much India have been relying on the incisiveness of Ishant Sharma. India have been hit badly in the batting with injuries to Sachin Tendulkar and V.V.S. Laxman. But it is the absence of the one bowler that has allowed the match to virtually slip away from India. A miracle is the need of the hour as the series win abroad jinx is rearing its ugly head again. If Sri Lanka could extract match winning performances from their bowlers, India must ask themselves if they are playing the game right.
Injuries happen to the best of players and the untimely nature of them coming in a spate can do any team serious harm in the context of the match. But in India’s case, it is all becoming plain pathetic. Surely this is not a case of just the one bowler creating a dent no matter how marvelous has been in rise. If the session has yielded a 100 run lead for the hosts after they had only two in the kitty, it is not hard to see why.
One had only to look at the way Kumar Sangakkara had batted the morning session. Despite the traditional fielding position, Sangakkara continued to innovative to find new gaps which just became impossible to plug. With the number of substitutes on the field, it was obvious there would be a few rusty fingers and slopping fielding. The frustration on the face of the bowlers became all too apparent. Harbhajan Singh had better be careful; the manner in which he kicked the ball in frustration appeared as if he was attempting to bend one like David Beckham.
The heat may be sapping. But Anil Kumble appears sapped of any solutions other than just go through the emotions. The dressing room that now looks more like a sick bay can be demoralizing. But even more demotivating would have been the fact that the Indian bowling did not show much teeth and allowed Sri Lanka to build on a sizeable, potentially match deciding lead, without taking risks in particular. Serious questions, irrespective of these injuries, will be raised off the fabulous four stalwarts with India clearly depending on the openers to get them into positions. Perhaps there is a need to rotate some fresh blood to ease the change of guard that seems imminent.
India have a tough task bowling Sri Lanka out. But they have it tougher still trying to bat out of this trap and with their batting order now perhaps decided by who has stayed off the field more. Could this mean a reverse in the Indian batting order?
