The team on both sides saw a lot of changes: Welegedara was out - Sehwag must have been happy (considering that Sehwag got out to him in both innings). Malinga & Muralitharan were known absentees. Gambhir was ruled out. Very surprisingly, Herath was kept out. All the four frontline bowlers who got 20 wkts in the first test for SriLanka are absent while India retained the same 4 bowlers.
The Lankan batsmen, especially Dilshan, looked like they were on a TVS bike and zoomed away at high speed. The Indians have been facing problems with their bowling Exide engine throughout the series and today was no different. After lunch, everyone thought that the Dabur Chyawanprash they had, might have energized the Indians but BPCL Speed was missing in the bowling as well as the Cello Pin Point accuracy.
Another interval came and went by - the Boost break making no difference to the scorecard. The Lankans seemed to be on a Maha Choco run-making spree, thanks to the placid pitch. Centuries were scored once again by the same batsmen as the first test match, their team proclaiming Pepsi Dil Maange More. Sonata Time was running out and the Indians did not have the Milk Shakti to stop the batsmen.
The Indians, at the end of the day, would do well to take a Royal Stag drink and rest for the day. They will also find out that the Dainik Bhaskar papers will not be kind to them on their performance. Videocon televisions will show the lack of proactive moves from the Indian management.
Tomorrow, the new ball will still have Kiwi polish and the Indians can still make good use of it by remembering (via Memory Vita) how they did come back on the 3rd day of Galle test. If not, all their Big Bazaar clothes will need extra wash on the morrow. Will the Reebok shoes of the Indians show an extra spring in their step tomorrow?
Stats show that SriLanka haven't lost at home after winning the toss in last 10 years - evidence today showed that they will not lose this record so easily. The Indian batsmen will do well to take a leaf out of the Lankans and Concreto cement their feet on the crease when they get their chance. MS Dhoni will do well to make an Aircel or Maxx Mobilink call to Azharuddin and find how he can win a series in SriLanka. All the Orient PSPO fans of the Indian team are waiting.
