Chika Talk
Kris Srikkanth
Abridged ODI suited Sri Lanka best
February 13, 2008
The shortened game suited the Sri Lankans more than it did India . Chasing is an easier proposition in such games as it is difficult for the team batting first to assess what would be a winning total. It will be hard on the bowlers if they are blamed for this defeat. There is very little they can offer in abridged games where the batsmen are going to throw their bat at everything. If S. Sreesanth and Ishant Sharma had not leaked so many runs in the first four overs, there could have been a tighter finish.
It was a vintage Sanath Jayasuriya at work again. Knowing he had to create impetus in a very short period rather than play a long innings, he gave it all. Once he provided the thrust, all that the top order had to do was play the ball around and milk singles. They did much more than that and M.S. Dhoni could have done nothing more to stop them.
Tillekaratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene are masters at the percentage game and the situation suited them the most. Harbhajan Singh bowled the right length as he did during the Twenty20 World Cup but with Sreesanth going for nearly 50 in his three overs, the only way India could have come back into the match was by taking wickets. There was no necessity for the Lankans to take any risk whatsoever; hence they did not try anything out of the ordinary against the slow men.
The one area where the Indian bowlers suffered was giving away too many extras. With the free hit rule in place it will always prove more expensive. Three no balls and six wides in 19 overs greatly reduced the pressure on Sri Lanka . In a sense the result has done more good for the series. It wears a more open look with all three teams in a position to push for the two final spots.
Even in the defeat, India had a few positives to take home, none bigger than the innings from Rohit Sharma who is developing well with each game. What is phenomenal about the Mumbai youngster is his ability to adapt. He is fearless when it comes to treating the ball on merit. His six off Muttiah Muralitharan was special. It proved beyond doubt that he is not the one to hold his shots back.
His knock was refreshing and he paced it like a seasoned pro. He is a fine addition to this young bandwagon of aggressive batsmen. Dhoni played another little gem of a knock. He should be batting up the order in one-day cricket, as should Yuvraj Singh. The circumstances today did not allow Yuvraj to come out early. But he is vital to the team's success and every little opportunity must be utilised to get him find form.
It is also important for the management to continue with Sachin and Sehwag at the top and also not tinker with Gautam Gambhir at three because he is at last playing to potential. This defeat should not rankle too much. It was just that the rub of the green went Sri Lanka 's way. They achieved a comprehensive win nonetheless. India should not fret over it and must continue to play positive cricket.
Republished with permission from The Asian Age
It was a vintage Sanath Jayasuriya at work again. Knowing he had to create impetus in a very short period rather than play a long innings, he gave it all. Once he provided the thrust, all that the top order had to do was play the ball around and milk singles. They did much more than that and M.S. Dhoni could have done nothing more to stop them.
Tillekaratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene are masters at the percentage game and the situation suited them the most. Harbhajan Singh bowled the right length as he did during the Twenty20 World Cup but with Sreesanth going for nearly 50 in his three overs, the only way India could have come back into the match was by taking wickets. There was no necessity for the Lankans to take any risk whatsoever; hence they did not try anything out of the ordinary against the slow men.
The one area where the Indian bowlers suffered was giving away too many extras. With the free hit rule in place it will always prove more expensive. Three no balls and six wides in 19 overs greatly reduced the pressure on Sri Lanka . In a sense the result has done more good for the series. It wears a more open look with all three teams in a position to push for the two final spots.
Even in the defeat, India had a few positives to take home, none bigger than the innings from Rohit Sharma who is developing well with each game. What is phenomenal about the Mumbai youngster is his ability to adapt. He is fearless when it comes to treating the ball on merit. His six off Muttiah Muralitharan was special. It proved beyond doubt that he is not the one to hold his shots back.
His knock was refreshing and he paced it like a seasoned pro. He is a fine addition to this young bandwagon of aggressive batsmen. Dhoni played another little gem of a knock. He should be batting up the order in one-day cricket, as should Yuvraj Singh. The circumstances today did not allow Yuvraj to come out early. But he is vital to the team's success and every little opportunity must be utilised to get him find form.
It is also important for the management to continue with Sachin and Sehwag at the top and also not tinker with Gautam Gambhir at three because he is at last playing to potential. This defeat should not rankle too much. It was just that the rub of the green went Sri Lanka 's way. They achieved a comprehensive win nonetheless. India should not fret over it and must continue to play positive cricket.
Republished with permission from The Asian Age
