On a day when India lost twelve wickets,failed to avoid the follow-on,were outdone in all three sessions,it was the indiscretion by Virender Sehwag and VVS Laxman in the first innings which will rankle. Credit must be given to Kumar Sangakkaras side for out-thinking two of Indias finest early on Day Four,but it cannot absolve them for falling into well laid-traps. Another 181 was needed to avoid the follow-on when play started on Day Four. At stumps,following on,India needed 63 more to make the hosts bat again. At 181 for five,Day Five will first be all about survival against the wily Muttiah Muralitharan and the nippy Lasith Malinga. Muralitharan picked up five wickets on the day and now has six in this Test. It is difficult to see him not adding to this tally and reaching 800. Muralitharan generated generous conventional turn to terminate the 74-run partnership for the sixth-wicket between skipper MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh,which ended hopes of the follow-on being avoided. Dhoni fell first,after failing to offer anything against a big off-break. Yuvrajs dismissals were carbon copies. Muralitharan came around the wicket to induce the edge the second occasion was the last ball of the day. Malingas late burst,which involved reverse swing and dipping yorkers,gave Sri Lanka a definite edge by stumps. In a span of six balls,he dismissed Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar. Dravid was guilty of flicking in the air when he should have exercised caution. Tendulkar fell to a reverse swinging yorker. Both of them had worked hard during the 119-run partnership,a highlight of Indias second essay,but couldnt carry on till stumps. Malinga also dismissed Gautam Gambhir for a duck for the second time in the match with the third ball of the innings. The initiative handed over on a platter by Sehwag and Laxman early on Wednesday. Sehwag,overnight on 85,took just 10 balls to reach his hundred. The upper cut off Angelo Mathews was cheeky and took Sehwag to 99,while an inside edge to the fine-leg boundary brought up his 20th Test century. Sensing that the match could slip out of their hands the longer Sehwag stayed at the wicket,the Sri Lankans brought in a third man,deep point and a deep extra cover plus kept slips in place. Chanaka Welegedara kept the ball moving across and wide and Sehwag couldnt resist after leaving a couple. He reached out with his bat in an attempt to hit over point but gave a simple catch to Tharanga Paranavitana at first slip. Sehwag can argue that this particular shot has got him runs in the past,but he cant overlook the fact that the Sri Lankans out-thought him by daring him to take the risky route. A big partnership was the need of the hour but shortly after crossing his century Sehwag had thrown away his wicket. His second innings dismissal also followed a poor shot. Laxman was hit on the helmet by Mathews,a delivery the Sri Lankan medium-pacers used generously against the wristy Indian. Malinga and Welegedara showed their aggressive intent and Laxman had to often sway out of harms way. But he shockingly was casual while mistiming a pull against Malinga. These dismissals within four overs of each other made Sri Lanka favourities in this game. Sachin Tendulkars ill-judged late sweep and Rahul Dravids poor judgement while running on Tuesday had already left India precariously placed. Going into this Test series,it was the No.1 teams bowling attack was considered the Achilles Heel. Yet even after one full day of play was lost due to rain,the Indian batsmen have struggled to stamp their authority against a Sri Lankan side that has done everything possible to grind out a win.
