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It is so easy to suggest that Sri Lanka pressed more emergency buttons than did India here today. But in doing so the home team proved they ...

It is so easy to suggest that Sri Lanka pressed more emergency buttons than did India here today. But in doing so the home team proved they were better at adapting to Greg Chappell’s latest buzzword, ‘‘flexibility’’.

Even the pile of injuries that stripped Sri Lanka of their new-ball attack and meant a radical alteration in the batting line up, failed to flatten their spirit on a blustery night. Eventually, the wounded warrior Sanath Jayasuriya, his right shoulder strapped after a numbing injection, put together a spirited effort to led Sri Lanka to an impressive victory.

While India’s experiment of seeking a new partner for Virender Sehwag failed to materialise because of VVS Laxman’s injury, the Sri Lankan selectors were forced to opt for drastic last-minute surgery. They also had to gamble on a reshaped, experimental bowling attack decimated through injuries to Chaminda Vaas and Nuwan Zoysa.

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So, instead of Upul Tharanga earning a debut cap and opening with Jayasuriya, the short-term view meant a call-up for lanky Dilhara Lokuhettige — and what an impact this 25-year-old newcomer made. He had to wait only nine balls before taking the wicket of Mahendra Dhoni.

However, an inexperienced new-ball attack of all-rounders Faveez Maharoof and Lokuhettige, with 17 caps to Maharoof, is not the sort of attack you would expect to confront India in such a key opening game. But that is where Sri Lanka’s strength and India’s current weaknesses lie. Lokuhettige’s ability to wield the bat with force and pick up 20 runs off 21 balls ensured that.

As it is, Sri Lanka had to make urgent running repairs and restructure the batting line up further, or stitched together as it were, less than an hour into the game. This was when Jayasuriya’s dive at point during the Indian innings dislocated the right shoulder. It was a repeat of an incident in the inaugural Morocco series in 2002.

Then, even as the Matara Mauler was being injected with cortisone and having his shoulder strapped, Mahela was being beaten and bowled by a ball that nipped back and whipped through the gate by Zaheer Khan.

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It was a brave, four-square effort by Jayasuriya, and he displayed the technique, skill and bravery necessary to see Sri Lanka home.

CHAPPELL’S REPORT CARD

		Batting B- • 191 dot balls. Five wickets in the first 20 overs. Three wickets to a rookie new-ball combination. It couldn’t have been worse… Fielding A+ • Suresh Raina got a vital run-out. Sri Lanka were not allowed to covert one and a half runs into two. Yuvraj and Kaif frustrated Marvan Atapattu (one single in 38) into attempting a suicidal run. Only one semi-dampener: Sehwag dropped a half-chance at first slip off a full-blooded drive from Tilekeratne Dilshan. Bowling A • A bowler short but the strikers maintained their aggressive attitude. Pathan used the heavy breeze well, got the in-swing going, and also the away-going delivery. Harbhajan bowled like in a Test match. His doosras were just as unreadable as Murali’s. Team spirit A • Fighting spirit resulted in a recovery from 5/64 to eventual 205. Venugopal showed poise against Muralitharan, and the bowlers fought for a total they could defend. Zaheer, Irfan and Harbhajan got 62 runs off 68 balls. Pat on the back • To Irfan, for coming off a bad season, scoring 21 off 32, and getting breakthroughs at the head of both his spells. To Dravid, for having fielders in catching positions throughout, and for continuing with Zaheer for eight overs on the trot and eventually breaking through in his eighth. And to Raina, inspirational in the field even after failing with the bat. A stern word • To Yuvraj, out pulling against the breeze at 2/44. Whoever decided the batting order, Yuvraj is not a number three batsman. Remarks • Forget the hats, focus on the bats.

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