Related Links : 2nd Test Scorecard I India’s Tour of Sri Lanka 2008
India have got most things right on a crucial third day’s play of the second test at Galle. The visitors have gained a healthy lead of 237 with six second innings wickets in hand on a spinner-friendly wicket. Openers Sehwag and Gambhir came good for the second time to set the match up for India. While getting anything over 200 in the fourth innings on this dry pitch is a big challenge, one cannot say that the current Indian lead looks anyway secure for the visitors. Ideally they would be looking to set a target of 400 if they can get a good partnership going between the two overnight batsmen – Ganguly and Laxman. But then the Sri Lankans are fighting hard to bowl out the Indians quickly and if their target is 300 or so, they also have a chance of winning the Test.
The morning session of the third day was critical for both sides as it would decide which team would go on to get the much needed first innings lead. The overnight unbeaten Jayawardenes – Mahela and Prasanna survived some anxious moments and started to get some runs. Just when India thought it was getting a bit tough to dislodge the pair, came a flighted top spinner from Bhajji that had a lot of bounce to force a bat pad off Prasanna Jayawardene (24 from 67 balls). India had to wait almost an hour to get this break, the next one came without much efforts though. Experienced Chaminda Vaas played an irresponsible shot to become Anil Kumble’s first victim of the series. SL were in the dumps at 255 for 7 with the deficit still being 74. Mahela Jayawardene found a useful partner in Nuwan Kulasekara and along with him did succeed in getting SL closer to India’s total. Anil Kumble finally produced a delivery that turned viciously and kicked off to find the edge of the Sri Lankan Captain. Mahela was dismissed for 86 (from 188 balls with 10 fours) and once he was sent back, it took just another eight deliveries to wrap up the Sri Lankan first innings. Kumble finished with a confidence boosting 3 for 81 and he could be the real danger for the home side in the last innings. Harbhajan toiled his way and at the same time found a way to success in his 40.3-8-102-6.
The lead that India could earn was just 37 but they would take that on this wearing pitch. Sehwag doesn’t have a good record in second innings, however, he turned it around this time with a smashing start along with Gautam Gambhir. The Sri Lankan bowlers were taken to the cleaners and the lead was rapidly going up. Before the fielding side could get their act right, Sehwag raced away to a half century and the lead past a hundred. The hosts were saved from a massive onslaught when Sehwag played an uppish drive off Vaas that traveled like a bullet but safely pouched by Dilshan at short covers. Sehwag blazed his way to 50 from 52 with 6 fours and a six to put on 90 for the opening wicket. The woefully out-of-form Rahul Dravid then joined Gambhir to carry the good work forward. As Dravid started to gain some much needed confidence, Gambhir kept playing his shots whenever he could and at Tea, India reached 120 for 1.
The final session has been a big problem for the batting side in this Test Match. India had that in their mind and therefore a touch careful in their shot selection. It needed a magical delivery from Ajantha Mendis to break what was turning out to be another bad partnership for SL. Gambhir got bowled while trying to pad up to a delivery that turned sharply from outside leg and bounced a bit extra to clip his off stump bail. The left hander had done his job though with a fabulous 74 which came with 10 boundaries in 149 balls. Sachin Tendulkar, the next batsman couldn’t have asked for a better situation to bat with India nicely ahead by 181 runs. Tendulkar came with a positive frame of mind as he played a lot of sweeps off Murali and Dravid at the other end played some glorious shots. India were totally dominating now through this partnership. Fortunately for SL, Chaminda Vaas struck gold at the right time to suck Tendulkar (31 from 42 balls with 5 fours) in an expansive drive that was caught at gully. India were now 200 for 3 in the 55th over and within no time they slipped to 200 for 4 as Rahul Dravid was given out lbw after a successful review from Sri Lanka. Dravid was initially given not out after he had put in a long stride forward to try and sweep Murali. Mahela Jayawardene then asked the Umpire Billy Doctrove as to why that was not out and then asked for a review which turned his favour. Dravid (44 from 92 balls with 6 fours) walked back furiously to the pavilion and while he was still checking the replays in the dressing room, light was offered to the Indian batsmen. India got to 200 for 4 in 56.4 overs at stumps on Day 3.
Both Ganguly and Laxman are yet to open their account and if either of them go onto bat for a couple of hours then India will be in the driver’s seat. The pressure is now very much on Sri Lanka as the lead is already 237 and at the same time India will be looking to get as many runs as possible to provide enough cushion for the spinners.