India has to shed its defensive approach

By S. Dinakar

KANDY, AUG. 21. It was a day when the sun played hide and seek with the clouds. It rained one moment and there was sunshine the next. Much of life and cricket can be like that too with darkness and light taking turns along the meandering path.

For India, things went horribly wrong in Galle and the side is now hoping that a much brighter phase would begin from the second Test that gets underway here on Wednesday.

It's not going to be easy though. The pitch at the Asgiriya Stadium has a fair amount of grass on it and appears to be harder too than the surface for the first Test.

This is a trying period for Sourav Ganguly's team, with a spate of injuries to key players making things even more difficult. However, in the cauldron of international cricket, there can be no excuses.

Losing is a part of the sport, but the manner in which India succumbed at Galle did not present the side in good light. Totals of 187 and 180, whatever be the circumstances, are ridiculously low for a side aspiring to win away from home.

Ganguly accepted this while talking to the media before the practice session on the eve of the Test. ``Batsmen who get a start have to carry on to a bigger score. It's a team game, all of us may not be able to score at the same time, and we have to help each other out. There are going to be good times and bad times.''

The skipper himself is going through the batting horrors in Test cricket. The Lankan pacemen, led by Dilhara Fernando, are going to bounce at him again, and the brave course for Ganguly might lie in going for the pull-a shot he has played before-instead of being indecisive.

India has announced its 12 for the Test, with Sairaj Bahutule, Jacob Martin and Dinesh Mongia missing out. This also means paceman Harvinder Singh and left-arm spinner Rahul Sanghvi would fight it out for a place, with the former likely to be picked.

There will be changes in the batting order too with the in-form Rahul Dravid coming in at No. 3, and Ganguly, Mohammed Kaif and Hemang Badani following him in that order. The vice-captain, always a committed performer, will have to produce a big innings to put India on the road to better things. Dravid is the key man really in this line-up, with his technical purity, not inconsiderable shot-making ability, and that willingness to put his best foot forward during crunch times.

This is also a wonderful opportunity for Badani to wash away memories of the first Test. ``You can't drop a player after just one Test.

He looks better than the others and the team-management has decided to back him,'' said Ganguly.

Even given the fact that Muttiah Muralitharan, with his bundle of tricks, presents a formidable challenge, the Indians allowed this ace off-spinner to call the shots with their overly defensive approach. Someone will have to go after the off- spinner, a risk that has to be taken.

The injury to pace spearhead Javagal Srinath couldn't have come at a worse time to an already beleaguered side, and in the absence of the Karnataka spearhead left-arm paceman Zaheer Khan has that much more responsibility thrust on him as the strike bowler. Venkatesh Prasad has another chance to revive his career, while the sharpish Harvinder will have to get his radar right.

Coach John Wright hit the nail on the head when he noted that 70 per cent of all bowling was about putting it in the right spot. The Indian pacemen failed to do this on the crucial match-turning second day in Galle.

And Harbhajan, distinctly unlucky not to scalp more in the first Test, has earned the respect of the Sri Lankan batsmen, who are not taking too many chances against him.

The off-spinner has the variety to trouble the Lankans even on a wicket that appears green. And the young Sardar is looking forward to the challenge.

Despite the crushing victory over India in Galle, skipper Sanath Jayasuriya sounded cautious when he spoke to the presspersons. ``We are confident, but at the same time we cannot take them easy. They might have some kind of a plan for the second Test.''

The Lankan captain was unhappy with the performance of the middle-order batsmen in Galle. Jayasuriya and No. 3. Kumara Sangakkara produced contrasting hundreds, but there was hardly any worthwhile contribution from rest. In other words, the batting looked top-heavy. ``Getting out in the 20s and 30s will not help the side. They will have to carry on.'' If Jayasuriya is removed early, this Lankan line-up can be tested.

Predictably the topic shifted to the chucking controversy concerning Suresh Perera. And Jayasuriya was optimistic that the pace-bowling all-rounder would come through the crisis since umpire Steve Bucknor was only concerned about the ``occasional delivery.''

Coach Dav Whatmore was more forthcoming. ``It is a bit worrying. He's a young player.

He is thought of highly by the selectors and the captain. He has a pretty good future. He has to go through the process laid down by the ICC.''

Though both Jayasuriya and Whatmore refused to rule out Suresh Perera from the Test, picking him again might be a gamble with Bucknor standing again. In case the selectors decide against Perera, paceman Dulip Liyanage, who can bat usefully, might be the logical replacement.

Dilhara Fernando is running hot, and the fiery paceman might relish the Kandy pitch. And for Muralitharan, any game in his hometown is a special occasion. ``It is always nice to play in Kandy before my friends and family. I have done well here.

The pitch might take turn from the third or fourth day.''

Muralitharan will be a handful, yet, there is a comforting piece of information for India. Kandy has not been a happy hunting venue for the Lankans.

They have lost six Tests here and won just two. So, will the sun shine on India?

The teams:

India (from): Sourav Ganguly (captain), Sadagopan Ramesh, Shiv Sundar Das, Rahul Dravid, Mohammed Kaif, Hemang Badani, Sameer Dighe, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Venkatesh Prasad, Harvinder Singh & Rahul Sanghvi. Coach: John Wright.

Sri Lanka (from): Sanath Jayasuriya (captain), Marvan Atapattu, Kumara Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Russel Arnold, Hashan Tillekeratne, Dulip Liyanage, Chaminda Vaas, Dilhara Fernando, Ruchira Perera, Muttiah Muralitharan, Suresh Perera, Romesh Kaluwitharana and Thilan Samaraweera.

Umpires: Messrs Steve Bucknor & Wijewardene. Third umpire: Mr. Gamini Silva. Match Referee: Mr. Cammie Smith.

Hours of play (IST): 10 a.m. to 12 noon, 12.40 p.m. to 2.40 p.m., 3 p.m. till the end of play.

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