The manner in which Ojha was manhandled by Lasith Malinga showed that india's bowling attack is helpless even against tailenders
The manner in which Ojha was manhandled by Lasith Malinga showed that india's bowling attack is helpless even against tailenders
A cannon firing off a 21-gun salute for Sri Lanka's man of the hour for what is Muttiah Muralitharan's final appearance in a Test, could also sound the death knell for India in this opening Test of the 2010 series.
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Danger signals for India began shortly after lunch on Day Three here at the Galle International after a good morning by the Indian bowlers with Ishant Sharma finally finding the right length and picking up the early wicket of centurion Tharanga Paranavithana.
In fact, early afternoon, India could easily afford to smile, even if it was that of a grimace. Five wickets for 134 runs is a good enough haul considering the state of the bowling attack in this game.
But then it went pear-shaped for M S Dhoni and his crew as Sri Lanka found two most unlikely batsmen to push India into a metaphorical corner.
Rangana Herath and Lasith Malinga added 115 runs, often at five an over and scored maiden Test half centuries. It was where the bowling was really exposed and the way Ojha was manhandled at one stage by Malinga with consecutive sixes should have sent warning signals to India's selectors about what sort of attack they have on the emerald isle.
Perhaps the biggest danger signal to India's hopes of at least saving the Test by edging past the follow on, is reaching the target of 371 ufffd and as they are 231 runs adrift at this stage, there will be a heavy reliance on Virender Sehwag to repeat the miracle of two years ago where he slammed a double century that became the bulwark that enabled India to level the series 1-1.
Now it is not going to be so easy as Rahul Dravid, known by the menacing sobriquet The Wall, had a rare moment of doubt and, in part, his dismissal has fractured India's top-order fortifications.
His run out for a score of 18 was at a crucial juncture of the Indian innings and left the tourists struggling when they were cruising to stabilise their response to Sri Lanka's first innings impressive first innings total of 520 for eight, declared.
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