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India’s Sri Lanka defeat adds spin to their batting
Have Indian batsmen lost their skill to tackle quality spin bowling? That is the big question that has followed their crushing defeat in the first test in Colombo last week.
Their innings and 239-run defeat on a good Singhalese Sports Club ground pitch saw a line-up boasting Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly and VVS Laxman bundled out twice around four sessions of play.
Off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, test cricket’s highest wickettaker, captured 11 wickets, but Indian batsmen were also clueless against debutant Ajantha Mendis, who snapped up eight with his mysterious mix of deliveries.
Indian batsmen have struggled under pressure against off spin in the past, contrasting with their command against leg break bowlers, including Shane Warne.
In Colombo, even the wristy Laxman misread the subtle googly from Mendis twice while Dravid looked even more unsure.
With the batting heavyweights towards the final stages of their careers, the concern in the Indian camp is understandable, Mendis having ripped through their younger set of batsmen in the Asia Cup final, scalping six for next to nothing.
Former batsman Sanjay Manjrekar acknowledges the challenge.
Anantha’s prediction: India’s best hope is a draw
India start a three-test series in Sri Lanka on Wednesday which will answer a few questions on how different will be their approach in the island where they only have a modest record.
Their confidence will come from the sheer experience among their batsmen and their consistency in tests playing abroad in the last two seasons.
However, they will have to play aggressively if they are to overcome Sri Lanka, always tough to beat at home with the slow pitches not very different from those in India.
India’s modest record in Sri Lanka, where they lost 2-1 the last time way back in 2001, will surely play in their minds.
However, they have a few things going for them.
Although wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the one-day captain and leggie Anil Kumble’s deputy in tests, has pulled out citing fatigue, the team have the personnel to step into that breach.
Dinesh Karthik, his likely replacement, is rated a better ‘keeper while Virender Sehwag, the vice-captain, is vastly experienced and will be motivated by the fact that his batting form is superb and he can show his leadership qualities to provide the selectors an extra captaincy option for the future.
spineless batting resurfaced again, for India. dump all NPA’s even not able to bat in the slow sub continent wickets…
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The Wall
the srilankans are’nt bowling orthodox spin. did any orthodox spinner ( at any level ) ever troubled indian batsmen? ( i can hardly remember few ). It is difficult to handle such unorthodox spin bowling atleast till the mystery abt mendis is cracked. what irritates me is grade-C Batsmen ( though good coulmnists ) criticize and comment.