India vs Sri Lanka, 2015: Finally, India finish a Test!
India vs Sri Lanka, 2015: Finally, India finish a Test!
There was a lead of 192 runs for India to make use of at Galle. Sri Lanka were 95 for 5. But they let the game drift away from them once Dinesh Chandimal chanced his arm. It was not something new for India: game was there in the bag — but, as has often been the case, India let go of it for the umpteenth time. In the second Test at P Sara Oval, Colombo India made sure they was no comeback from the hosts as they notched up a comprehensive win 278-run win. Nikhil Popat writes how India, for once, finished the a Test.
Professionals, as a rule, do not like Monday mornings. They have to dust the joy off the fun of the weekend and get themselves ready for work. It is a process. The Indian team had done the job on the weekend, and could not afford being lacklustre on the fifth and final morning of the second Test. There was a huddle near the boundary ropes; Virat Kohli gave his team pep talk. He had come close to winning in Adelaide Oval, Fatullah, and Galle. It was due. India had dominated most of the first Test, but lost it in one bad session. India could not afford that today at P Sara; the series was at stake. One bad session, and another Test would have been gone from the grasps of victory. Read: India’s inability to finish Tests is worrying
There were plans, but India still had to execute them. Umesh Yadav had beaten the bat of Angelo Mathews often even when the latter was approaching his century in the first innings. Umesh had the ball in his hand for the first over of the day for India. A length ball just outside off — one that Mathews would have left had he been in for couple of balls at least; but after Umesh went past the bat swinging the ball both ways before, Mathews had to play at it. He could only muster an edge which was superbly snaffled by KL Rahul diving to his right. He is not a regular keeper but showed superb reflex to catch that one.
With Chandimal at No. 5 the plans changed. There was an umbrella field, both Ishant Sharma and Umesh bowled full to him to an off-stump line with the odd short one. Kohli brought on Amit Mishra, who had dismissed Chandimal before when the latter was looking to go over the top. Kohli had mid-off up for Chandimal, almost enticing him to go for the shots. The first ball, gently tossed up, was pushed to mid off. Chandimal was not ready to just go down the track, for he had got lot of success sweeping the ball in the first Test. The next ball on the stumps, Chandimal tried to sweep without realising Mishra had tossed the ball up higher. The ball dipped on him and he was bowled round his legs. Another bowling change had worked for India and Kohli. Read: Virat Kohli’s first win as Test captain vindicates ‘aggressive’ approach
There was a quiet stand then between Lahiru Thirimanne and Dimuth Karunaratne. Thirimanne was part of the turnaround in the first Test, and looked positive today. Ravichandran Ashwin was probing with accurate line and length. There was a distinct bowling plan to Thirimanne compared to the one for Karunaratne. Ashwin was flatter and quicker to Thirimanne since the latter was reaching out for the ball. In the first over after drinks, Thirimanne looked to get going but was beaten in the air twice in two occasions. Then came the killer blow: a tossed up delivery that straightened after pitching; by then Thirimanne had committed to his stroke and was way down the track without reading the ball. A leading edge was well taken by Cheteshwar Pujara, who was on the field for Murali Vijay (ruled out of Test series due to hamstring injury). Read: Murali Vijay’s injury opens the door for Cheteshwar Pujara ahead of India vs Sri Lanka 2015, 3rd Test
India opted for Ishant from the other end with Jehan Mubarak coming out to bat. Ishant slanted one outside off, got an edge which was gobbled by the captain at slip. He was standing closer than usual at second slip and the ball went right into his lap. It was as if Kohli could do no wrong today. Dhammika Prasad coming in was never going to hang around; Ashwin beat him in the flight with a yorker first up. Running out of patience, Prasad jumped out of the crease next ball to heave Ashwin into the stratosphere but could only manage a top edge to Mishra at mid-wicket.
Sri Lanka were imploding, much like how India had at Galle. They capitulated and lost wickets in a flurry. Karunaratne, approaching his fifty, started to open up. Kohli kept the field up; Ashwin was swept to square-leg for four. Next ball, Ashwin bowled one that skidded on, bowled with a parallel seam, Karunaratne was bowled for 46. India were running through Lanka. Read: Ajinkya Rahane: The quintessential team man
Much like he had done since morning, Kohli kept ringing in the changes. Ashwin and Ishant were bowling, but when Karunaratne got out, Mishra and Umesh were recalled. Umesh delivered the first blow when he hit Tharindu Kaushal on his gloves with a nasty short one. Kaushal came to face Mishra next over, and came out swinging to get a boundary; but Mishra got the better of him the very next ball — a wrong ‘un on the stumps.
Sri Lanka were nine down. The hopes were down, Kumar Sangakkara was not going to go on a high for sure. The heavens could not bear it and opened up, but Kohli was more than eager to come back on the field. This was it: his maiden Test win was round the corner. His plea did not fall to deaf ears. The rain stopped after the early lunch break and India took care of the final wicket in just the second over after the interval. Dushmantha Chameera could not pick the wrong ‘un and was out leg before.
India registered a brilliant comeback to win the second Test by 278 runs. They had done the hard work at Galle but could not get past the line. Indian players never let go of the intensity and ensured they finished the game at P Sara, levelling the series 1-1 — one they would have won by now had they held their heads at Galle. India will now head to SSC, Colombo for the final Test of the series and complete the hard work to end the wait of winning a Test series in Sri Lanka since 1993.
(Nikhil Popat is diehard cricket enthusiast and a PotterHead till the end of time. He can be followed on Twitter @CricCrazyNIKS)