India caught in a web again

Shortened run-ups, tired strides and weary faces gave an idea about the physical weariness of the Indian bowlers as Sri Lanka8217;s...

Shortened run-ups, tired strides and weary faces gave an idea about the physical weariness of the Indian bowlers as Sri Lanka8217;s last four mortals outscored India8217;s four middle-order greats. Not visible was the equally arduous mental trauma the batsmen 8212; those on field and a couple of them in the dressing room 8212; would have been going through during this prolonged period of agony.

From the time play started today when the lead was a miniscule two runs, to the time in the second session when it magnified to 147, every run would have added a worry line on their foreheads, wondering about the consequences of failing in the final and crucial inning of the series. With the game slipping away, the fear factor would not have been confined to the result of the series alone, but also the immediate aftermath back home.

It has been that kind of series where the post-mortem blame game is heavily lop-sided. Take the openers out of the equation and India8217;s four-pack seems like an ugly underbelly, failing to fire regardless of the match scenario.

They failed batting second in the first Test under pressure of chasing a 600-plus Lankan score and they did the same when Anil Kumble opted to bat after winning the toss here. At Galle, they didn8217;t quite get inspired by Virender Sehwag8217;s double hundred and today, half the middle-order was back in after the openers were out with India still 82 runs behind.

While Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar were edgy through their brief stays, the other two middle-order batsmen, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid, survived the day to push India to 161/5 8212; a score when looked at in terms of just the second innings is a rather dismal 14/5.

Hope in history

While Dravid survived a few close calls and Laxman, with his sprained ankle 8212; Gambhir is running for him 8212; the odds of India taking a U-turn in this Test seem quite remote.

With the present looking glum, the Indian dressing room looked to the past for some optimism. Harbhajan Singh after the game said, 8220;Hope they repeat Eden Gardens. In that case, we can record another historic victory.8221;

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But history and victory were two words nowhere on the horizon after the openers got out. With Ganguly and Dravid at the crease, Jayawardene opted for the obvious trick to unsettle them, bringing his spin twins on.

Murali has repeatedly got Ganguly, while Mendis has been a Dravid-expert in this series. Jayawardene failed to catch one at slip of Ganguly8217;s edge early, but the former India captain8217;s charge down the wicket to hit Murali for a six seemed like a sudden rush to the emergency exit in times of crisis. Eventually, he fell to Murali, this time an lbw decision.

Tendulkar8217;s final innings of the series too was as scratchy. Repeated lbw shouts and referrals ended in joy for Mendis. For the first time in the series he got Tendulkar out, and celebrated being the most successful debutant bowler in a three-Test series.

Shattered dreams

A month back there was hype about Tendulkar gracing the island as he was 172 runs short of overtaking Lara. A week back there was talk about India on threshold of history as they eyed a comeback win in the series.

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Tendulkar fell 77 short of the target. As for the second hope, it remains to be seen if Dravid and Laxman can repeat their Eden feat.