India pay for negative mindset

By ICF Staff
December 6 2005

In a rain-truncated match, Indian batsmen's negative approach results in a major setback as Sri Lanka first run through them for the lowest score ever against them, then hammer their bowling on the same pitch.

It would seem that Indian batsmen have learned nothing from the Bangalore dabacle in which mindless defense failed to secure the draw that would have allowed them to win the last test series against Pakistan.

Sachin Tendulkar scratched together 22 runs off an incredible 126 deliveries as he gritted his way along, fortunate to be dropped twice at the start of the fifth day but unable to take advantage of the letoffs.

Chaminda Vaas bowled 7 successive maiden overs to start proceedings this morning as first Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, then VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly, failed to show any intent to move the score along.

Dravid fell trying to block every ball in yet another failure as Test captain, while Laxman perished attempting a non-existent run and Ganguly fell to a brilliant reflex catch at point. All of them were guilty of attempting to conserve their wickets rather than score, as was Tendulkar before them.

Wicketkeeper and ODI specialist Mahendra Dhoni was the only player, other than Virender Sehwag at the top of the order, who seemed interested in getting some runs, and looked far more composed and positive than most of his specialist batsmen teammates in his debut test match.

When Lanka came in to bat, the pitch appeared to change nature drastically. In the same conditions in which India struggled to score at a painful 1.5, Lanka's batsmen raced along at 4 an over, sparing no bowler other than Anil Kumble and Ajit Agarkar.

Irfan Pathan was hammered at over 6 runs an over to follow up on his duck during India's innings, extending the all-rounder's poor form in Tests, while both Harbhajan Singh and part-timer Ganguly were ineffective. Kumble looked dangerous and was the most successful of the Indian bowlers in snaring 3 wickets. Mahela Jayawardene's effortless 71, scored at a run-a-ball, was ended by a poor decision, making the earlier efforts of many more illustrious batsmen on the day look farcical by comparison.

Lankan captain Marvan Atapattu called the match off after surpassing India's score at 168 for 4 wickets down, a cheeky gesture aimed at making the point that they had won the one-innings match by a heavy margin.

Whether the demons were in the minds of the Indian batsmen, or the Lankan bowlers simply superior, India will go to Delhi having lost the psychological advantage after doing so well in the preceding ODI series.