The morning after – an analysis of the First Test in Colombo
July 28th, 2008 by Michael Jeh in India, Indian Premier League, Sri LankaIt’s not often I get to bask in the glory of sage predictions but I’m doing just that after the First Test in Colombo. Mendis’ stunning debut and Murali’s proven pedigree indeed proved to be an irresistible combination, as predicted in my blog a few days ago when I previewed the series.
Anyone can get lucky though. At least, that’s what India must be hoping. It’s far too early to panic – the combined class that India has to offer in it’s batting armoury deserves more than one or two hiccups before anyone has the right to start asking questions. Perhaps Ganguly might be sensing the vultures circling but even if he is eventually replaced by the likes of young Rohit Sharma, his long history of runs for India should never be forgotten.
Sri Lanka’s relatively unfancied batting line up, Jayawardene apart, has laid down the challenge to their more credentialed counterparts. Either their batsmen played brilliantly on a difficult batting pitch or Sri Lanka bowled magnificently on a benign surface. The real truth probably lies somewhere in between those two extremes but the point has to be made that whilst one team scored 600 for 6, the other team lost 20 wickets for 371 runs. That’s a big disparity, especially in conditions that should not be totally foreign to Indians.
It’s naïve to read too much into statistics after just one match. Momentum, luck and pressure can create their own scripts that defy mere statistical analysis. Therein lies the beauty of sport – it is not a science that can be replicated with laboratory-like precision in sterile conditions. Is it just coincidence that India’s two biggest losses have come at the SSC Ground in Colombo?
What can we expect then from the next Test in Galle? Will the Sri Lankan fast bowlers continue to merely play a symbolic role in taking the shine off the new ball before unleashing the spin twins again before India has a chance to gather any confidence? Surely great players like Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman have assumed that mantle because of their proven ability to adapt to situations and come up with new game plans.
Where the more searching questions need to be asked is of the India’s spin bowling and the next generation that are straining at the leash. Kumble certainly needs no excuses made for him – his career record speaks for itself and his reputation as a man of strong dignity will be forever remembered with fondness. Harbajhan on the other hand is someone who must surely be feeling a sense of unease. On and off the field, it is possible that his youthful magic is starting to wear thin and that India may need to now start looking for more penetration and less abrasiveness. His figures of 2/149 don’t look too clever in comparison to the other off-spinners (what does Mendis bowl???).
Wouldn’t it be fascinating if we could create a Virtual Test to see how the Sri Lankan batsmen would have fared against Murali and Mendis on this pitch, chasing 600? Daydreaming aside, I’m not going to write India off just yet because an old betting adage states that you should never back against champions. The only problem with that theory is that Sri Lanka too have their own champions who seem to be at the top of their game. It’s too early to put Mendis in that category yet but for the sake of world cricket, one can only hope that he is here to stay. I’m guessing that his IPL market value has now skyrocketed!
August 4th, 2008
I have just read the comments made after the first test from the archieves. I beg to differ with you about the famous four. The time has come for them to leave the stage paving the way for the young guns. Please tell me how long Sachin can play to achieve the record. The rate at which he is going I think he will surpass the record during the Border Gavaskar series. I think in recent past he has never played an innings like the one played by NEIL MECENZIE who saved the I test for South Africa at Lords. India does not require players who play for self records and India needs players like VIRU & ISHANT only.