India on brink after back-to-back setbacks

The anxiety in the Sri Lankan camp,which had been in cruise control till then,became evident as skipper Angelo Mathews began setting his field with extra attention. It was natural after all. So often has Kohli has been the scourge of the Lankans,especially in tall run-chases. Not only was he walking in with an average of over 75 against Sri Lanka while his team was batting second,but Kohli had led India to victory in 11 out of those 17 occasions,averaging 109.42 in successful run-chases. The desperation in the Lankan camp to get rid of their usual party-pooper was understandable. Also read: No comments,thank you: Gambhir on Kohli’s captaincy

They managed it without much fuss. The last time he was in the Caribbean,Kohli had been repeatedly discomfited by pacy short-pitched deliveries bowled by the West Indians. He had even been bounced out on occasion during what was his maiden Test series. Mathews’ bouncer in comparison was hardly a rip-snorter. Nor did it carry a menacing look. It was perfectly directed though,and rushed Kohli into a shot. The result was a top-edge that carried safely into the hands of Lasith Malinga at long leg. Just like that,Kohli was gone for 2. The threat had been eliminated. Also read: West Indian fans: Divided they stand,together

In a match in which absolutely nothing had gone his way,the Indian skipper had now flopped with the bat. The inevitability of the result loomed large in both camps from there on. Eventually the No.1 ODI team went down without throwing even a futile punch. They rather cowered in a corner and allowed the Sri Lankans to pummel the living daylights out of them. India not only fell 161 runs short,but in being bowled out for 187 they also allowed Sri Lanka to walk away with a bonus point. The mega loss also meant that the newly crowned ICC Champions Trophy winners will have no option but to win both their remaining matches to earn a certain spot in the tri-series final.

Flat in the field

The Indians had looked flat all day long at Sabina Park. They had dropped catches,crucial ones,and lacked intensity in the field. The bowlers had looked hapless while the Lankans toyed with them. Buoyed by their top-order’s incredible onslaught,the Lankan bowling attack had its tail up. Even Nuwan Kulasekara seemed to find his length for a change,as he kept the explosive Indian openers in check. The Sabina wicket wasn’t an easy one to bat on. Sri Lanka had benefited from their opposition’s errant and inconsistent offerings.

Kulasekara & Co hardly pitched a ball away from the good-length area,never allowing the Indians to get going. Even the in-form Shikhar Dhawan was made to prod and poke around before he eventually fell in an attempt to break the shackles. Murali Vijay lacked fluency in his return to ODI cricket before falling victim to a Malinga yorker — the slinger had not been brought on till the time Kohli was out of the picture.

spinning a web

On a pitch where the Indian spinners had been harangued,Rangana Herath and Sachitra Senanayake proved a menace for the middle-order. The veteran left-arm spinner in particular utilised his variations tactfully,picking up three wickets in the bargain. He beat both Dhawan and Dinesh Karthik in the flight. And eventually,if not for Ravindra Jadeja’s unbeaten 49,the victory margin for the Lankans could have been ginormous. So one-sided was the contest that it wasn’t surprising to hear Kohli talk about his team having received a reality check.

“It was just a day when everything went wrong. We had a plan for our chase but it didn’t work out either,” he said.

Having arrived in the Caribbean as overwhelming favourites,the Indians leave Jamaica empty-handed,and with lot of soul-searching to indulge in as they head east to Trinidad for the second leg of the tournament.