GUTSY DISPLAY: Yuvraj Singh anchored the Indian second innings with an unbeaten effort that ranged between the bland and the brilliant. — Photo: S. Subramanium

New Delhi: Barring an escape Harry Houdini even in his best strait-jacket-and-suspension day would have struggled to pull off, India should end Sri Lanka's agony on Wednesday at the Ferozeshah Kotla and take an unbeatable 1-0 lead in the Videocon Cup Test series. The home side needs five wickets from three sessions, the islanders require an improbable 313 more.

After Yuvraj Singh (77 not out, 223m, 168b, 10x4) and M.S. Dhoni (51 not out, 83m, 51b, 5x4, 2x6) indulged in a post-lunch feeding frenzy — 55 runs in seven overs — to leave India 435 ahead, Sri Lankan openers Maravan Atapattu and Avishka Gunawardene negotiated six overs without being separated.

But Irfan Pathan had the left-handed Gunawardene falling over his front leg. Thirty for one.

Kumar Sangakkara hasn't had the easiest time with the big gloves, spilling regulation takes and struggling to stay low. Bat in hand, he was different.

Delectable shots

For a track on which the ball hasn't quite come on, there have been some magnificent cover drives. The wonderfully orthodox Atapattu and Sangakkara played their delectable versions. For a little over 30 overs, these two magnificent batsmen looked entrenched. Anil Kumble had a close shout for leg before when Atapattu shouldered arms to a googly, but little else.

With nothing happening, Rahul Dravid threw the ball to Ajit Agarkar. The Mumbaikar has done little of note in the Test and he ran in, heels kicking up dust, and convinced Sangakkara to play at a reverse swinging delivery. Dhoni's mitts enveloped the nick, and the celebrations that followed reflected how crucial the wicket was.

But the wheels really came off when Atapattu (67, 180m, 129b, 11x4) popped a `bosie' from Kumble — changing ends — back, falling late like he had done in the first innings. That dismissal had turned the match India's way. This one sealed Sri Lanka's fate.

Different agenda

Overnight batsmen Sourav Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh are at different but crucial junctures in their Test career — one trying to resurrect it, the other attempting to establish it. Such is the nature of the game that mentor and protégé were in a bat-out with Virender Sehwag's return imminent in the third Test.

Ganguly, in between the nervous blink-blink to keep his contact lens in place and quick glances at the giant screen to check his form, abstained from stroke-play.

Sri Lankan skipper Atapattu populated his off-side field and Dilhara Fernando kept it a foot outside off, reversing it further away from the Bengali. The tactics were unapologetically dilatory — pilfer enough time and make Dravid delay his declaration.

Misplaced bravado

Ganguly managed to paddle Murali for the first boundary in 81 minutes, and suitably emboldened, conceived an expansive drive through the covers. Unfortunately for him, the decision coincided with one of the spin freak's doosras. Bat and pad were parted long enough; ball, further persuaded by the inside edge, sneaked through. That was to be Murali's only wicket of the innings.

In both stints, Ganguly, though not at his best, showed the stomach for a fight. Not for nothing was he India's most successful captain; he won't go quietly into the night.

His partner in the 204-ball 81-run alliance, Yuvraj played an innings that should blast away a mental block. A languid free-stroking batsman against medium pacers, the Punjabi left-hander when confronted by spin first up resembles the tongue-tied stand-up comic who can't for the life of him remember the punch line.

Though twisted like a rag doll around Murali's off-breaks and one Bandara wrong-un (which he certainly didn't read), Yuvraj stuck it out, concentrating on "keeping his energy moving forward" as coach Greg Chappell would say.

The sweep, which has returned runs but caused his downfall a little too often in the past, was used with prudence.

Easing the pressure

Yuvraj's new partner wicketkeeper M.S. Dhoni helped ease any pressure that might have built up. Murali, unreadable out of the hand or through the air, was played off the track — Dhoni getting right back to give himself the extra yard and second to manoeuvre.

Bandara, whose arm during delivery dropped till he could bowl no flatter, was picked for punishment. A mow over mid wicket and a crack through cover were followed after lunch by a mishit between Fernando's large palms.

On 28 then, Dhoni clubbed two sixes and raced to his first Test 50 in his second match.

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