The match against Sri Lanka before the final was important on two counts
for the Indians. One was to establish a psychological dominance and other
was to try and sort out Muralitharan. Unfortunately they failed on both
those counts and the Sri Lankans demolished them with panache. The
difference between the sides was the mental strength and also the common
sense displayed by Marvin Atapattu and Mahela Jayawardene. The broke the
record for the third wicket partnership and in the process they exposed the
limitations of the Indian attack.
It is sort of strange that Anil Kumble has been under scrutiny when one
considers that his absence yesterday showed what a big difference he makes
to the side especially in the middle overs. Ajit Agarkar dismissed
Jayasurya and Kaluwitharana in successive overs after Zaheer Khan kept them
pinned to the back foot with an aggressive opening spell. Agarkar looked a
bit like himself and he has to pick up wickets to make up for his ordinary
economy rate. The double strike by Agarkar brought Attapattu and
Jayawardene together and the way they controlled the major part of the
innings was as smooth as silk.
They had to play themselves in initially almost like in a Test match and
after having done that they gradually took the game away from the Indians
in a clever and stealthy manner. The remarkable aspect of the
Atapattu-Jayawardene partnership was that they orthodox cricket shots and
made batting look so easy. The pitch was firm to start off with but slowed
down considerably as the game progressed. Atapattu, the more experienced of
the two, took on the role of a sheet anchor and he allowed Jayawardene to
adopt his methods. Not that the youngster went berserk but he showed great
poise and played some delectable shots all round the park. A couple of late
cuts he played off Robin Singh were reminiscent of Gundappa Visvanath, the
former Indian legend.
By the time the game reached the halfway stage, the Sri Lankans were
adroitly manipulating the Indians and the Indian skipper tried all the
tricks up his sleeves but in vain. The left arm spinners Joshi, Sriram and
Yuvraj Singh were dealt with ease and even Joshi lost his way in the later
stages of the innings. Robin Singh looked rusty and the Sri Lankan pair
worked him around comfortably for runs. Ganguly tried his hand as well but
the dominant third wicket pair helped themselves to runs at will.
Jayawardene played what must go down as one of the best innings ever to be
played at Sharjah. Arnold rubbed salt into the wounds of the Indians with
some quickfire batting and Atapattu reached his hundred just in time. The
Lankans should be given the credit as they showed what batting out the
opponents is all about.
The Indian reply started off in the most unwanted fashion with Ganguly
departing early and Sriram following suit. The youngster might well rue his
mode of dismissals as he may be dropped at least temporarily. It would be a
bit harsh if he were to be dropped as he has the talent to come good given
the confidence. Tendulkar looked in good touch and it was a pleasure to see
strike the ball with the authority one expects of him. His rash shot to be
caught off Muralitharan was brought about by his over enthusiasm to try and
take charge of the proceedings. If it took a pair to take away the game
from the Indians in the first half, Muralitharan drove the nails in the
coffin on his own when the Indians batted. It was almost that he had the
batsmen mesmerised as he ran through the side with an incredible spell. The
resistance from Dahiya and Badani was not enough for the side but it has
done their reputation no harm at all.
The Indians will start as underdogs in the final and it is good in a way
that there will no undue pressures on them. Moreover things may go wrong
for the Lankans on the day that matters. Still the Indians have to play out
of their skins to put it across the Sri Lankans.