India a much-improved side

India spoiled the Sri Lankan party with an emphatic win yesterday to continue their significant improvement in the one-day game in 1998. The...

India spoiled the Sri Lankan party with an emphatic win yesterday to continue their significant improvement in the one-day game in 1998. The match started with a Sanath Jayasuriya four, but Ajay Jadeja finished it with a six. This typified India8217;s approach to the game; anything you can do, we can do better.

The opening joust of the contest was a good one with Ajit Agarkar bowling to Jayasuriya. The bowler was constantly looking for wickets and the batsman was only thinking of scoring runs. Somebody has to give in this situation and on this occasion the slimly-built quickie prevailed, moving one back off the seam to rid India of a big danger.

However, Sri Lanka quickly recovered from this early setback. Aravinda de Silva has never lacked skill but, for a while, some batting know how8217; was missing. His century in the World Cup final signalled that he8217;d discovered the secret and ever since Aravinda has been a more complete and consistent batsman. He8217;s now a player who matches skill with acumen.

In theopening match of the Independence Cup, he played the sort of controlled innings that has made him one of the top five batsmen of the current crop. On a slow pitch where the ball wasn8217;t coming on to the bat his main ally was placement and precision. Occasionally, there was a flash of brilliance and a couple of cover drives hit on the rise and timed to perfection, elevating him above the class of a run accumulator.

Aravinda found another ally in the enigmatic Marvan Attapatu who equalled his more illustrious partner in piercing the covers. A couple of his shots through the off-side off the spinners were the result off excellent footwork and when he plays in this manner you wonder why he has periods when he looks like a novice.

The world champions miss the consistency and craftiness of their unsung hero Chaminda Vaas. This was never more evident when Saurav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar waded into the generous offerings from bowlers who erred by allowing too much width outside off-stump. The elegantleft-hander vindicated the Indian supporter who, in an expansive mood, said, 8220;When it comes to off-side play, first there is God and then there is Ganguly.8221; He threaded the field with a number of exquisite square and cover drives, allowing Tendulkar time to get his eye in.

Once he did that it was a murderous combination and, in a Sri Lanka-style opening, they virtually posted the 100 in 15 overs. India weren8217;t content with that humiliation and even when Tendulkar threw his hand away Mohd Azharuddin kept the Lanka bowlers pinned to the canvas.

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After a period of little success in Sri Lanka, India showed the hosts in this outing they are a much-improved outfit, both at home and away. Neither of the two countries that held their Independence celebration tournaments in 1997 were able to clinch their own trophy. India seems determined to continue this trend in 1998.