Ashwin’s common sense approach saved India’s day

INDIA made hard work of a none too daunting score set by the Sri Lankans, but by winning the game have opened their account in the tri-series. A team with a strong batting line up like India is always likely to take it easy when it is not chasing a big target, and that is what seemed to have happened as batsman after batsman cast their wickets away carelessly and caused some tension in the dressing room.

It was left to Ashwin’s ice cool temperament to ensure that there was no reverse, though he too got a bit carried away going for a glory shot for the winning runs when a gentle push could have done it.

He was lucky in that, both Jayawardene and Lasith Malinga thought that the other was going to take the catch and the ball dropped safely to the turf for the winning run. That dropped catch also summed up Sri Lanka’s efforts. They are a much better batting side than what they produced.

Admittedly it is their first game after a short break and there is always the time difference which is especially hard on the body clock coming to Australia and New Zealand, still the batting effort looked listless and lackluster.

Dilshan took a long time to get going as did most of the other batsmen and apart from Angelo Mathews nobody seemed in any rush whatsoever.

Mathews is a terrific cricketer, who can bat down the order and his seam up bowling gets him wickets on pitches that help and he is a brilliant fielder anywhere. If he had not come in and played the innings that he did, the Lankans wouldn’t have managed 200.

Dinesh Chandimal batted well and he too is a fine prospect for the Lankans. The senior men Sangakkara and Jayawardene got starts, but were unable to convert these into meaningful scores. Sri Lanka will need to score more than 250 since apart from Lasith Malinga, there appears no other bowlers who can trouble the batsmen and keep them quiet. Only if their batsmen click will the Lankans be able to pressure the opposition with their limited bowling resources.

The Indians have only themselves to blame for making such hard work of a small target. Sehwag played an adventurous shot with no freedom of the hands and so didn’t get enough power for it to clear the fielder. The Tendulkar, Kohli partnership was an indication of how the baton is being passed to the next generation.

Tendulkar was middling the ball fluently and in his company young Kohli was also striking the ball sweetly. It all looked rosy till Tendulkar too was cramped for room and bowled off the inside edge.

Rohit Sharma and Raina fell without looking settled and Raina must realise that even though the boundaries have been brought in considerably the Australian grounds are still a little too big for all the lofted shots to come off.

Dhoni also fell cheaply and it was thus left to Ashwin’s common sense approach to settle the issue in India’s favour.

India have opened their account, but will know that they have to bat and bowl better than this if they are to remain a threat in the triseries.