Sri Lanka in India

[Caesar]

Sri Lanka in India

This series will be a struggle for Sri Lanka I fear. Probably the best test they need at this point in time though - an away series on the subcontinent, against a side that's going to push them pretty hard. Winning a Test here will be a successful tour - so far, that's something they've never achieved.

Big series for a few individuals - Jayasuriya has been given an ultimatum from the selectors to perform or be dropped, while for the Indians Zaheer Khan makes his return from injury and Sreesanth has been recalled into the side after his suspension.

The start of the first tour match has been delayed due to wet weather.

Wed Nov 11 - Fri Nov 13
Indian Board President's XI v Sri Lankans
Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai

Mon Nov 16 - Fri Nov 20
1st Test - India v Sri Lanka
Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad

Tue Nov 24 - Sat Nov 28
2nd Test - India v Sri Lanka
Green Park, Kanpur

Wed Dec 2 - Sun Dec 6
3rd Test - India v Sri Lanka
Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai

Wed Dec 9
1st T20I - India v Sri Lanka
Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Jamtha, Nagpur

Sat Dec 12
2nd T20I - India v Sri Lanka
Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh

Tue Dec 15
1st ODI - India v Sri Lanka
Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Ground, Rajkot

Fri Dec 18
2nd ODI - India v Sri Lanka
Andhra Cricket Association-Visakhapatnam District Cricket Association Stadium, Visakhapatnam

Mon Dec 21
3rd ODI - India v Sri Lanka
Barabati Stadium, Cuttack

Thu Dec 24
4th ODI - India v Sri Lanka
Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Sun Dec 27
5th ODI - India v Sri Lanka
Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi

 

[Caesar]

Re: Sri Lanka in India

India Test Squad:

MS Dhoni+ (c), Subramaniam Badrinath, Rahul Dravid, Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, VVS Laxman, Amit Mishra, Pragyan Ojha, Virender Sehwag, Ishant Sharma, Sreesanth, Sachin Tendulkar, Murali Vijay, Yuvraj Singh

Sri Lanka Test Squad:

Kumar Sangakkara (c), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Rangana Herath, Mahela Jayawardene, Prasanna Jayawardene+, Thilina Kandamby, Nuwan Kulasekara, Angelo Mathews, Ajantha Mendis, Muttiah Muralitharan, Tharanga Paranavitana, Dammika Prasad, Thilan Samaraweera, Kaushal Silva, Thilan Thushara, Chanaka Welegedara

 

[Ljp86]

Re: Sri Lanka in India

A fairly boring game approaching the halfway mark of day four. India had a shocking start batting first, slipping to 4/32 as Chanaka Welegedara tore through the top order. However, this brought Rahul Dravid to the crease and he played his best innings for some time, making 177, combining for a partnership of 224 with MS Dhoni who helped himself to 110 before edging behind off Dammika Prasad, giving him his second wicket. Yuvraj Singh also batted well, building the innings earlier on with a nice 68 before Dhoni and Dravid pulled India out of the mire.

India finished up on 426 all out with Welegedara taking 4/87 and Muttiah Muralitharan chipped in with 3/97.

In reply, Sri Lanka have batted superbly but have been aided by a fairly lifeless pitch. Their start was farily good until Tharanga Paranavitana fell for 35 with the score on 74. India didn't strike again until 189 when Tillakaratne Dilshan was out for 112 after making a fine hundred, Kumar Sangakkara fell two overs later but that's the only momentum India have had with the ball as Sri Lanka have answered everything India have thrown at them. Mahela Jayawardene is on 267 not out and with his namesake Prasanna Jayawardene on 134 not out. Those two have combined for a partnership which stands undefeated at 333 with Sri Lanka 5/708. The highest partnership for the sixth wicket is currently held by Don Bradman and Jack Fingelton. This is also the highest partnership between two people with the same surname who aren't related.

For India, Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma have two wickets on a pitch where all the bowlers have toiled hard.

 

[Caesar]

Re: Sri Lanka in India

This is also the highest partnership between two people with the same surname who aren't related.

I LOLed.

It's depressing how often the phrases "Dravid played one of his best innings" and "fairly boring game" are found in the same report.

He's undeniably a great player, but try as I might I struggle to enjoy watching him.

 

[D.K]

Re: Sri Lanka in India

They went on and broke the record partnership. Over 70 odd years that stood for. The great Don slowly being erased from the records books.

Jayawardena (M) would have to be one of the most inform batsman going around, so consistant for the past few seasons and personally one of my favourite batsman

 

[Caesar]

Re: Sri Lanka in India

Well, Gambhir and Tendulkar ended up batting India to a draw in that first Test.

Sri Lanka finished the second day in Kanpur at 1/66, chasing India's 642. Gambhir and Dravid were again the foundations of the innings with 167 and 144 respectively, but the delight of the first two days' play was a sparkling 131 from Sehwag off 120-odd balls.

Dravid surpassed Allan Border on the alltime runscorer list. He and Ponting are now separated by a couple of hundred runs, and are both fast closing in on Lara's number two ranking behind Tendulkar. I don't think either will catch Tendulkar (who currently has a 1,500 run lead over Ponting). The two Indians are 36, and although Ponting is 34 he'll probably be under pressure to retire at an earlier age than the others.

 

[D.K]

Re: Sri Lanka in India

Sehwag only 16 away from becoming the first man in history to score 3 triple hundreds.

Only off 230 odd balls and made it in under a day, something like 5 hours.

Is there a more devestating player in world cricket?