Jayawardene's pin-point shot, and pin-point dismissal

With new captains, often come fresh ideas, and Virat Kohli produced two innovations in India's innings, both of which worked beautifully. His first suggestion was that Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane take the batting Powerplay during the 24th over, instead of the 35th. India would go on to plunder 62 from those five overs, without losing a wicket. Then, he also pushed Suresh Raina up the order to No. 3, instead of taking that spot himself. Raina ensured the openers' momentum would not be lost, hitting 52 from 34.

There was power and clean-hitting all through India's innings, but when it comes to precision and touch, Mahela Jayawardene is rarely outdone. The best of his six fours came off R Ashwin in the 19th over. He reached out to hit the ball just after it pitched and turned his bat, chipping it a good metre over the short midwicket, without appearing to have hit it hard. The timing was so good though, and the placement so finely-tuned, that neither the leg side sweeper, nor the wide long on closing in on the ball had a chance of stopping it. He could hardly have hit the ball any perfectly if it had been planned out on a laser grid.

The first two balls Akshar Patel bowled to Jayawardene were both cut away late, for four. Next over to Jayawardene, the batsman collected another boundary, behind square leg this time. But Kohli kept Patel in the attack, and the left-armer delivered, slowing one up outside the off stump to prompt a loose stroke from Jayawardene, who hit the ball too early, and sent it straight to Kohli at short cover. He could hardly have picked out the fielder any better if it had been planned out on a laser grid.

Kumar Sangakkara had been the first player to protest at the speed with which this series was organised, and as a meticulous trainer, he was perhaps the most irked about not having enough practice ahead of the tour. He will feel somewhat responsible for the size of India's opening stand, because he dropped both batsmen off what are usually regulation takes for him. Dhawan was shelled on 10, and Rahane on 38 - before either batsman had begun to score quickly. There was rustiness elsewhere in the field, and from others in the top order too, but Sangakkara will be keen to omit the mistakes from his game and return to his characteristically high standards.