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Sri Lanka in India 2009-10
Outplayed Sri Lanka fall short
India bowled, batted and fielded better than Sri Lanka, but that's just part of the story
Sidharth Monga
December 7, 2009
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Review system
India may still have gone on to win the series 2-0, but who knows? Kumar Sangakkara believes the absence of the Umpire Decision Review System system cost his side "over 500 runs and a lot of wickets", but that's not the point either. The point is, in two other series going on simultaneously, the review system is - reluctantly or willingly, successfully or otherwise - being used. It is but natural for Sri Lanka to feel frustrated. Cricket is moving into an era when the on-field umpire's word will not be final, so why be coy about it?TV rights in India are bought for exorbitant prices, and there is no way it should be the broadcasters' responsibility to install new technology for a new system that the ICC is implementing. How much the world body, or BCCI, a part of that body, care about their own decisions is evident from this series. And in the final analysis, the umpiring decisions did hurt Sri Lanka, although Sangakkara will be the first one to admit they were outplayed too.
Sri Lanka were outfielded
Whisper it lightly, but they were. By India, that too. Virender Sehwag, the Man of the Series, was the biggest beneficiary of the Jayawardenes' generosity, both wicketkeeper and first slip dropping him regularly. The Sehwag drops alone cost them 40 in the second innings in Ahmedabad, and all of his 131 in Kanpur. Psychologically it adds up to much more than just 171 runs. Add to it the countless missed chances on the third day in Mumbai. It could be argued Sri Lanka were a defeated side by then, and they will know their dropped catches hurt them more than the umpires did. And MS Dhoni just rubbed it in at the presentation ceremony: "Our catching was very satisfying. We held on to everything that came our way."
MnM were mastered
In 2008 Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis took 47 wickets between them. This time they managed 11. Mendis played only one game, and was found to not be up to scratch. Murali has never looked this mortal. At times it seemed Sehwag read the doosras not from the hand, but from the bowler's mind. Murali's talking of retirement was reminiscent of another offspinner's career that Sehwag ended: Saqlain Mushtaq.
Before Sehwag, there was Dravid
It was Rahul Dravid who ensured India didn't repeat their Ahmedabad disaster from last year. At 32 for 4, against the swinging ball, India had looked set for an encore. As Dravid later said, this was the most fluent he had played, and the good form would continue through the series, getting him 433 runs at 108.25.
After Dravid, there was Sehwag
It's not just his 491 runs at 122.75. It's the amount of time Sehwag gave the bowlers to take 20 wickets, it's the demoralising effect he had on the opposition, it's the uplifting effect he had on his team-mates. Given how the bat dominated in the series, India needed all of that.
Runs, runs, runs
Even from 32 for 4, India managed 385 runs on the first day in Ahmedabad. And that was one of the saner days. India would set their record for most runs in a day, and then go on and better it. Sri Lanka broke the record for most runs in a day by a side visiting India, and most runs in an innings by any side in India. Even though the series produced two results, each wicket cost 50.19 runs, and each over 3.83. That run-rate is despite three of the nine innings being played in match-saving mode.
Deep point should be banned in Tests
At least when Tillakaratne Dilshan or Sehwag has just walked out to open an innings. Both the captains seemed to look for excuses to set defensive fields, generally lacked imagination, and - apart from Sreesanth - fielding sides failed to pull something special out of the hat. There were full sessions when Mahela Jayawardene batted with a deep point in place, and didn't hit a single ball in that direction.
Sri Lanka are yet to win in India
Or in Australia and South Africa. After all the good work that took them to No. 2 in the ICC's Test rankings, Sri Lanka are back to square one. You've got to feel for Murali, the highest wicket-taker in the world by a distance, who is part of a side with lots to disprove still. The FTP hasn't been kind either. Sri Lanka last went to South Africa in 2002, and Australia doesn't give them more than two Tests.
Sreesanth was inhabiting the wrong place all this while
If only he gets into less trouble, and produces spells like the one in Kanpur more often. It was good to have back the man with one of the best releases in the world. It was his spell that broke the monotony of run-scoring in the series, and on a pitch that was still flat.Sidharth Monga is a staff writer at Cricinfo
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Sri lanka have the talent but seem to lose their concentration when it is required the most,it is unfair to treat murli as a lost case as he is the highest wicket taker in the format,it is just that he needs to try and reinvent some of his bowling to fool batsmen, like the greats of the past for e.g warne who even in their waning years learnt to toss the bowl differently to fool batsman. I am and will always be an adamant supporter of the indian team but i do love the sport and like that it becomes more competitive when teams have to struggle to get a win or lose by small or shrinking margins.
Posted by Shas3 on (December 08 2009, 20:36 PM GMT)What happened to all those who were talking about the excuse of India winning the toss in 1st 2 tests and otherwise it would have gone Sri Lanka's way... It was just the hard truth that the Lankans were completely outplayed.... remember Indians were 32 for 4 on the first Morning... but they came back... thanks to Dravid, the most technically sound and the most dependable batsmat in test cricket... It was the same Murlai/Mendis who collapsed India last year... If you want to be a world beating side then should be able to perform on all pitches... that is what Murali was known for... and Mendis.. I did not praise him when he took bunch of wickets against Indians last year.. instead I criticised the Indian batsman... because any of our good Ranji players can easily tackle Mendis.. in fact there are better spinners on our domestic circuits... But... it still way to go for India and they need to prove their ability in SA and AUS... hope we will see Sachin, Dravid and VVS make another visit
Posted by S.N.Singh on (December 08 2009, 18:09 PM GMT)Drop catches show not be an eccuse for a loss. A batsman is given the benefit of the doubt. This is how the game is playing over the years and I think it should be continued like this. India leave out the best "fieldman" in the world in RINA, and they did not complained. So, Sri Lanka must learn to take the game a as it is, or let play with review for all games. So, both sides will have the very opportunity. "Tendulkar and Dravid" suffered most because of bad decisions.
Posted by JoeGilly on (December 08 2009, 12:51 PM GMT)Regardless of disgrasefull "one-sided" umpiring in this series, URDS needs to be implemented to make sure smaller countires get fair umpiring. With BCCI having so much influence over ICC, umpires will always rule in their favour cause they know - if they don't, then they will get a lot less games and a lot less major tournaments to umpire in (ie: less pay). The recently concluded test series between Ind and Sl was a perfect example of that. Not to mention the bad call(s) against the West Indies against Australia. The bigger your board (eg: India; South Africa; Australia) the more assistance you will get from umpires. Its an unwritten rule after seeing what happened to Bucnor in the late1900/early 2000.
Posted by hege on (December 08 2009, 11:34 AM GMT)India outplayed SriLanka in all parts of the game. But as an optimistic SiLankan fan I think we have a good chance in the twenty20's and ODI's. SriLanka hs a collection of some of the best players but they have to figure out how to gel it all together more ften.
Posted by Monishjoshy on (December 08 2009, 10:42 AM GMT)Cricket is the religion of Indian sub-continent and Sachin is deemed as the God of cricket in India, In such a cricket crazy country where the entire Nation is behind cricket, it will embarrassing if India couldn't be No.1 always and in all format of the Game , especially when billions of people sit in front of television from morning till evening to see India winning each and every match. India always had Great batting legends like Sunil Gavaskar, S Tendulkar, M Azharuddin, M Amarnath, D Vengsarkar, G Vishwanath, Rl Dravid, V Mankad, M A KHAN PATAUDI etc..And the best spin bowlers in the world like BS Bedi, E Presanna, Chandrashekhar, A Kumble...But still the winning rate was very low before AD2000..what might be the sudden change of fortune for India..Now India is winning matches home as well as abroad..Besides strong batting line up, Now India has good pace attack of International standard. India had produced only few good pacers like Kapil,Srinath and Nissar before..
Posted by CKfrombrisbane on (December 08 2009, 09:40 AM GMT)Well, I agree the fact that India played well this time. However, you guys need to play oversees very well and show the talent to get the number 01 status. Beating Sri Lanka in India is not a big deal and Indian commentators are very happy about that. That very funny!
Posted by bhagal on (December 08 2009, 09:05 AM GMT)@ferzil - dude reagarding the sysney test, it was not bucknor only , but the players(oz) did the same. Clarke claimed a catch which was dropped and ganguly was sent to pavilion despite being not out. Ricky did this all. Not only this .. what about dravid.. gilly (known as the most honest cricketer) appealed to the edge that wans't there.
Posted by cricky_lover on (December 08 2009, 09:01 AM GMT)@Think_b4_comment and @CKfrombrisbane check this link before you write a comment, your memories are short lived... http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283302.html SL is nothing infront of IND team... at any point in history...
Posted by auggie on (December 08 2009, 07:56 AM GMT)Reference Kalingas 'messy' comments we are not talking past statistics here but about the current series that was concluded with SL's massive defeats. SL bowlers were carted all over the place in all the three tests-period! In any case SL's stats are always boosted by their home performances. Murali's stats are legend but he gave away massive amount of runs although he did end up with a reasonable haul. Talk about pitches, rain before the match, balll seaming around,Sangakarras wrong decisions,reviéw systems, lost 500 runs etc, etc, etc, are just what they are -Excuses! I like SL to do well but anyone could see that India were far better in batting,bowling, fielding and capatincy.Acknowledge this and dont be sore losers!