India v. Sri Lanka: A First Test Review

India are 8/121 in their second innings at the Sinhalese Sports Club as I write this post and are sliding toward a thumping innings defeat, much like they did the last time they played a Test match in Sri Lanka.

They have been thoroughly out-thought and outclassed. The out-thinking bit was easy for Sri Lanka, for while they play classical Test Cricket, and did several basic things right after winning a fairly important toss, India seem to have gone into the game with a muddled mind.

The Sri Lankan spin attack is easily the best seen in recent times, operating in conditions favorable to them, with the crushing weight of 600 runs delivered by the Sri Lankan batsmen. This Test Match, which Sri Lanka will in all probability win today, has revealed a greater gulf between the two sides than Ajanta Mendis.

Sri Lanka have shown better awareness of situations in the match—situation described by what the bowler is trying to do, what the field setting is, what the score is, what the batsman at the other end is doing, etc. It has been a Test Match between one side playing Test cricket, and another playing, apart from a few stray batsmen, playing blind man's bluff.

Rahul Dravid was well and truly beaten by the spinners in both innings. Tendulkar's first innings dismissal was understandable, but his second innings dismissal was, like many other things, reflective of India's thinking (or lack thereof) during this Test Match.

Consider the choice he made—to sweep Muralitharan bowling at him from round the wicket into the rough, with a leg slip present, following on, facing a deficit of 300 odd runs. In the end, he was dismissed to a ball which would have missed leg stump by a foot. It was an entirely avoidable dismissal and seems to be an even more tragic choice of shot given the fact that Tendulkar played both Mendis and Murali quite well.

The best Indian batsman was VVS Laxman. Once the gamble to promote him to No. 3 failed, India was as good as beaten.

India's batsmen face plenty of problems here. They are faced with an extremely intelligent spin bowling attack—one which knows its home conditions inside out. They are unable to read one of the spinners.

What's more, some of them seem to be down on confidence and match play. The middle order is coming into this series cold. One of the openers is making a comeback, and the other refuses to use his brains.

All that said, these are not India's biggest problems. The batsmen (one has to hope) will figure things out. The bigger problem seems to be the spinners. The Indian spinners never looked like getting a wicket when the Sri Lankans batted.

More than Kumble, Harbhajan seems to be struggling. I cannot remember the last time he bowled with any success in a Test Match. He seems distracted and has lost the accuracy and control of length which marked his bowling when he was at his best.

Unless India can threaten the Sri Lankan batting and keep Sri Lankan totals within manageable proportions, even the best batsmen in the world at their best won't be able to keep Murali and Mendis at bay on wearing wickets.

India have been out-classed by an accomplished Sri Lankan outfit. What's more, India aren't thinking straight at the moment. Gary Kirsten has plenty to think about.