The Hindu : Sport : Indian juggernaut rolls on

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 04, 2005

Sport

Sport

Indian juggernaut rolls on

S. Ram Mahesh

India's first series win at home in three-and-a-half years.Sri Lanka fell at least 30 runs short of a competitive targetGood display by Harbhajan, Muralitharan

FINISHING WITH A FLOURISH: Mahendra Singh Dhoni gives vent to his feelings after wrapping up the Videocon Cup series for India in his inimitable style with Super Sub Suresh Raina for company. — Photo: S. Subramanium

Pune: "You just saw the future of Indian batting. It looks exciting," said Indian captain Rahul Dravid after M.S. Dhoni and Suresh Raina had steered India to a series win in the Videocon Cup at the Nehru Stadium here on Thursday.

The home team made it four out of four with the four-wicket win — its first ODI series win at home in three-and-a-half years.

Coming together after India lost its sixth wicket, requiring a further 82 runs in 15.3 overs, the two men soaked up pressure, ran the Sri Lankans ragged, and finished with panache.

Faced with an equation that narrowed to 47 from 48, the left-handed Raina (39 not out, 30b, 2 x 4) — out of the comfort of the dressing room and into a high-pressure situation for the first time — drove and turned of his toes with aplomb. Dhoni (45 not out, 43b, 1 x 4, 2 x 6) took on another role with consummate ease.

Ajit Agarkar had earlier stunted Sri Lanka's innings (261) on a good batting wicket, picking the key scalps of Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara through conventional swing with the new ball, then returning to reverse it and mop up the tail for a total of five wickets.

Costly let-off?

The visitors fell at least 30 runs short of a competitive target. In the chase India lost Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh, the newest recruit for the number three spot, early.

Virender Sehwag was let off twice. "It would have been 50 for three and a different game," said Sri Lankan coach Tom Moody. Sehwag continued, picking the length early and hoicking the medium pacers over mid-wicket.

He was joined by Rahul Dravid, who batted like a dream. The skipper constructed on-drives of technical purity and married it to the chutzpah he has developed.

Sehwag guided Muttiah Muralitharan to Russel Arnold after another start and Venugopala Rao, the first of two untested batsmen, was tested.

The Andhra youngster handled it well, finding gaps and turning it over to Dravid.

Rao also showed he can strike a mean ball — Farveez Maharoof was carved over point for six, and later back cut, steered and square cut.

Just when it looked comfortable for India, Rao was undone by Muralitharan's doosra. The Sri Lankan offie was magnificent, changing his angle to unsettle the right-hander.

Dilhara Fernando bowled a testing over to Dravid (63, 72b, 6 x 4), slipped in the short ball and extracted a rare rushed hook. Irfan Pathan lasted three balls before Raina and Dhoni took over.

Calling it right

Earlier, Dravid got lucky for the third time in four tosses and decided to field after a scrutiny of the pitch and history. Sangakkara and Jayasuriya attacked Irfan Pathan, but fell to Agarkar.

The Mumbai paceman's career has closely resembled the way those inclined to a rather heady tipple walk — a step forward, another sideways, and a stagger back. But he found rhythm in Zimbabwe, and has managed to sustain it since.

Both openers were beaten by by length and swing. Sangakkara, pushed back, failed to bring his bat down before the delivery bent into his pads; Jayasuriya's head was behind the line the ball threatened to follow, but it kinked back. The left-hander fell over.

Atapattu chose to promote Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan ahead of him. Both like the ball coming on to the bat, and the move left the skipper in charge of the middle overs. Sreesanth, in for Murali Kartik, hit speeds in excess of 140 kph and swung it away from the right-hander. He directed a sharp bouncer at Tharanga's left shoulder and the hurried hook ended in fine-leg Agarkar's palms.

Good stand

Fifty-one for three in eleven. Dilshan, a picaresque and inconsistent spirit, played the way he knows. He planted his feet and threw his arms, breaking his wrists at contact to manipulate direction.

Atapattu started scratchily. Like stubborn trout and patient angler, he and Dravid duelled. The Sri Lankan skipper would buy himself some slack only to be reeled back in. Harbhajan Singh bowled masterfully, a tad faster and flatter than the first three games, as Atapattu and Dilshan put on 97 in 113 balls. A doosra snared Dilshan (52, 68b, 9x4) and Russel Arnold joined his captain.

Dravid had spoken of tightening the team's bowling effort in the last 20 overs. India had conceded 181 in Jaipur. On Thursday, amidst Agarkar's three strikes, Sri Lanka lost six wickets and managed 112 in the final 19.5 overs.

Sehwag's full-toss-and-one-hand-pouch routine to rid India of Atapattu (87, 100b, 7x4) in the 47th over was crucial.

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