We were no match for the Lankans in the first test. I think our players will have some self-doubts coming to the second test. The Only way India can stop srilanka is to attack from the word go. Since these are early days playing against mendis , we cant sort him out easily. The best way to put lanka on the backfoot is to attack. Even if we score around 350 all out, it will be a good enough score to defend.
Also its so harsh on our batsmen to attak when seilanka score around 600 runs. Bowling is a bigger worry than batting i feel. These srilankans play spin of kumble and Bhajji pretty well. So we shd bank on our seamers to bowl well because srilankan batsmen are always susceptible to pace bowling. (have a look at their performance in Australia last year ). We need to remove Bhajji and add RP in the XI. Zaheer , RP and Ishant are damn good bowlers but they have to believe and apply themselves that they can do it because both of them troubled Aussies and English last year.
Personally , I feel everything in sport is 70% mental strength and 30% skill. it requires one or two sessions for the whole series to turn around.
Never ever I get a feeling in the last 10 years , Lanka is a good side in tests. They are good at home but that is because of Murali. Now since Mendis is in early days with unorthodox action , they look deadly, But Still they can be sorted out !! But all that needed is 100% commitment and courage!!
RE:Lanka can never be a good side in Tests..Its all an Illusion
by Anurag Rathore on Jul 30, 2008 10:30 AM Permalink
You are right, because SL don't have greater batting line up. They win the test only on SL because slow pitches of SL suited for their batsman. When they go outside the SL, they always struggle.
RE:Lanka can never be a good side in Tests..Its all an Illusion
by Bhavik Shankar on Jul 30, 2008 03:10 PM Permalink
india has pathetic bowling lineup...
In reality it is AUS and SA who are the best the rest are mediocre. Who really cares about a second best team like india.
I india want to become the best it is high time to kick out Ganguly, Kumble,Harbhajan, Dravid, Laxman and look to the future.
In the past 1.5 years look what youngsters have achieved compared to the senoirs
RE:Lanka can never be a good side in Tests..Its all an Illusion
by Anurag Rathore on Jul 30, 2008 10:31 AM Permalink
You are right, because Sri Lanka don't have greater batting line up. They win the test only on Sri Lanka because slow pitches of SL suited for their batsman. When they go outside the Sri Lanka, they always struggle.
Indian team must be praying for rain gods to help them save from 3-0 whitewash. During the break, the players can then make plans on how they can make additional crores in sponsorship and ad movies. If the Indian team was that serious about test cricket they would have had a camp and practiced hard before the series began. Why would they want to sweat for 5 day test matches when they can make crores in 40 days of T20 cricket?
India will come back strong. If we win the test and bat carefully, we should be OK. India should teraget to score 250/3 on 1st day and then build on it on send and score 500 . We should declare 30 minutes after tea. SL will be tired and worn out. We should take 2 or 3 wickets before the stamp. We should be able to win the next test handily.
RE:It was just one test
by Deewaker pandey on Jul 30, 2008 04:01 PM Permalink
do u think tht everything (including the toss) wll happen according to ur imagination?
Mendis is a finger leg spinner which means he turns the ball mostly into the left handers. India should strategize to attach Mendis and disturb his line through Gambhir and Ganguly both generally good players of spin, same way as Sachin did to Warne several years ago. But that needs weeks of practice and preparations which Indians did not do for this test series as they were busy making crores in IPL.
