Lanka need patience and a fit skipper

There was a time on Sunday afternoon, when Atapattu and Mahela Jayawardene were leading an impressive and authoritative charge on the Indian bowling, that gave the impression that batting conditions had eased.

Just as they did on Monday as India reassumed control.

It could be argued, perhaps, that it was a moment of over-confidence at the apparent ease in which they were batting that led to Jayawardene’s dismissal. Attempting to paddle the ball from Kumble found him playing the wrong line. It was the one error from this classic stylist and allowed India back in with a chance of wresting a first innings lead.

At 175 for two the tourists were well placed but, when Jayawardene went, there was panic in the lesser ranks and pressure tactics ripped a hole in the Sri Lankan defences. Three wickets in seven balls wrenched the gut out of the Sri Lankan hopes and Tom Moody will be at pains to point this out to the Samaraweera and Dilshan.

They are two highly talented batsmen, but if Sri Lanka hope to pull off a miracle — either of winning or drawing — the openers need to put together an aggressive century partnership.

Whether Avishka Gunawardene is capable of the patience of Atapattu or of Kumar Sangakkara and Jayawardene is another matter. Normally an attacking batsman, Gunawardene has the capability to bat with patience. But this Indian attack can be a potent force and the pitch here at Kotla full of tricks. It is a mystery surface.

It gives the bowlers hope but at times the batsmen too; it’s the sort of surface where a batsman is rarely certain that he is ‘in’ and so can play his shots with timing and ease. This is why the Irfan Pathan’s innings yesterday was such a turnaround.

But Sri Lanka can take confidence from such a performance. Sangakkara, undone by the bounce on Sunday, will be wary of the conditions yet mindful that there could be as many as five sessions to score the runs.

Sri Lanka’s best chances rest with their top four batsmen to bat with competitive assurance if they are to mount a challenge. The doubt factor is the Atapattu injury problem, though the encouraging sign is that he was on the field during the Indian second innings today.

When asked on Sunday, Muttiah Muralitharan casually dismissed what appeared to be the team’s concerns about the need for Atapattu to go to hospital clinic for an injection to ease the nerve problem. This wasn’t just a stubbed toe problem but a back ailment that saw him miss that pre-Test series friendly in Bangalore.

Yet when it comes down to the need to tackle whatever total India do set their visitors, the trio of Atapattu, Sangakkara and Jayawardene will feature as they know the need to take on the responsibility of guiding Sri Lanka toward that target.