Result looks certain in Test

SAS NAGAR, November 18: Arjuna Ranatunga still has it in him to beat the best with his deceptive bowling skills. This morning, the Sri Lank...

SAS NAGAR, November 18: Arjuna Ranatunga still has it in him to beat the best with his deceptive bowling skills. This morning, the Sri Lankan skipper seemed to have the red cherry on remote control even as his mock appeals pepped up the mood in the Lankan camp. Evidently, pressure was the last thing on his mind while his bowling arm mocked at the silver streaks that have enhanced the podgy 35-year-old8217;s image.

A little later, Indians took over at the nets led by an intense, curly-haired 24-year-old, who had an early go at his bowlers. Eager to use every ball to strike rhythm, Sachin Tendulkar had no time for any light-hearted stuff. This difference in attitude is just one of the striking features that separates the two leaders as they step out to try their luck with the coin before the first Test gets going tomorrow morning.

The toss will be the first significant step in their quest for victory on a pitch where a conclusive verdict seems a distinct possibility. And in that case, victory would mean different things for Tendulkar and Ranatunga. For the Indian, it would bring down the curtains on the sensational drama that preceded his appointment as captain for this three-Test series. Besides, by not extending his appointment to the one-day series to follow, the selectors have only added to the pressure on Tendulkar. And, victory here will be more of a personal vindication for the Indian skipper.

For Ranatunga, it is a question of proving his country8217;s credentials in the orthodox variety. That is one issue which he has never been able to dismiss with his patent smile. And, he simply doesn8217;t have the record to back the brave noises that he has made whenever this question has cropped up. Why, even in this calendar year, the Lankans played four Test series and lost two of them; the second being a humiliating 0-2 verdict against New Zealand, of all teams. The other loss came against the West Indies while the home series against Pakistan and India ended in draws. Besides, they have won only one Test against India and that was 11 years back in Colombo.

They did give the Indians a ringside view of cricket history when Sanath Jayasuriya piled up 340 in an awesome total of 952 for six this August in Colombo. But that hardly changes the equation of 7-1 in favour of India. A win here, and few more this season, and Lanka can rightly claim for a favourable comparison with the mighty Windies of the 80s.

With success meaning so much, speculation here has centred around the 22-yard strip and the final eleven for tomorrow. Both teams where undecided on the final composition till this evening, and understandably so. What with the pitch curator revealing that what looks like a seamer8217;s track may turn into a turner by the third day. The Indian camp is also aware that the surface may even crack up in the second half of this Test.

Anyway, Tendulkar and Indian coach Anshuman Gaekwad seemed to have arrived at a general plan, for the moment, of fielding five bowlers, including three seamers. Of the five seamers at India8217;s disposal, the Karnataka duo, Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad looks a sure bet though it is a gamble of sorts, especially in the case of the former. Still, the psychological impact of having one of the best opening pairs on such a track will be considerable. Abey Kuruvilla might just pip Debashish Mohanty in filling this department on the strength of his experience.

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With no doubts whatsover on Anil Kumble8217;s place, off-spinner Rajesh Chauhan will play a crucial role if Tendulkar sticks to his five-bowler plan. Considering the strength of the southpaw club in the Lankan side, Chauhan, with a solid record on similar tracks, might be a certainty, even if it means dropping the third seamer.

In batting, the side is back to playing musical chairs to decide the opening pair. The Nayan Mongia option might be resorted to accommodate five bowlers and that would have Ajay Jadeja in the dressing room for this Test. Down the line, Rahul Dravid8217;s health continues to make news, with a throat infection preventing him from practice today morning. Tendulkar expects him to play, though he appeared worried on that count.

In this respect, the Lankans have much less to bother about as they have a settled batting line-up. It is their bowling which is under pressure, as only that master tweaker Muthiah Muralitharan, seems to have it in him to bowl out a rival side twice in five days. The return of pacy Pramodaya Wickremasinghe and the presence of Chaminda Vaas is what Ranatunga is banking on here.

Teams: India from: S Tendulkar capt, N Sidhu, M Azharuddin, A Jadeja, R Dravid, S Ganguly, N Mongia, J Srinath, V Prasad, A Kumble, A Kuruvilla, R Chauhan, D Mohanty and N Kulkarni.

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Sri Lanka from: A Ranatunga capt, A de Silva, S Jayasuriya, M Atapattu, R Mahanama, H Tillekaratne, M Jayawardane, L de Silva, M Muralitharan, C Vaas, P Wickremasinghe, R Pushpakumara, S de Silva, K Dharmasena, J Silva and R Arnold.

Umpires: S Venkatraghavan India, Steve Bucknor West Indies.

TV Umpire: RC Sharma India.