Indians get their wake-up call

After more than three months without Test cricket, India's first-choice XI (plus one) got the wake-up call that they needed before the series against Sri Lanka starts next Wednesday. India last won a series on the island back in 1993, and it says something about the Future Tours Programme that it will be their first Test tour there since 2001.

Sachin Tendulkar missed that tour through injury, but his batting was one of the few redeeming features on a weather-hit day when the batting line-up fluffed its lines badly. Tendulkar made an assured 69 from just 76 balls before falling to Seekkuge Prasanna, a leg-break bowler who plays for the Sri Lankan army just like Ajantha Mendis, spin bowling's man of mystery.

The Sri Lanka Board XI helped India's preparation by fielding a strong team. Dilhara Fernando, who dismissed Gautam Gambhir late on the opening day, opened the bowling with Sujeewa de Dilva, who has also played Test cricket, and the frontline spinner was Rangana Herath, who played the last of his 13 Tests in Guyana earlier this year.

The surprise package though was undoubtedly Dammika Prasad, whose medium-pace bowling didn't impress anyone overly when he played three one-day internationals a couple of years ago. At the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground, he accounted for Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman in the space of three deliveries, before returning to dismiss Zaheer Khan as well.

The Indians finished the day still 28 in arrears, with only Dinesh Karthik (unbeaten on 58) buttressing Tendulkar's effort. Rahul Dravid, Ganguly and Laxman managed just 19 between them, and are unlikely to get another chance to play themselves into form before the Test.

The bowlers acquitted themselves far better, with Anil Kumble mopping up the tail after the pace bowlers and Harbhajan Singh had made early inroads. A century partnership between Thilana Kandamby and Chamara Silva steered the board side to respectability, but Sri Lanka's selectors will be dismayed by the failure of Upul Tharanga and Mahela Udawatte to make an impact. As for Jehan Mubarak, who leds the side, he simply hasn't convinced at the highest level.

India's selectors have already made one big decision, dumping Wasim Jaffer for Gambhir. Despite his failure in the first innings, it's almost certain that it will be an all-Delhi pairing that walks out to open in the first Test. If they can do half as well as Virender Sehwag and Aakash Chopra did in Australia half a decade ago, it would have been a punt worth taking.

Comments

[Peter Casie Chetty]

Sri Lanka may not be able to surprise India in a five day game with Ajantha Mendis cork screws unless he is capable of bowling out the side in fifty overs. The wickets in Colombo will probably be tailored to suit spinners but then the Indians are not mugs at playing spin. I will put my bucks on the dark horse Vaas doing a lot of damage to the top order if he bowls at the Indians in the morning sessions when the dew plays an important part. He has done this before and is capable of surprising everyone again.

[Dileep]

I have mixed feelings about the Jaffer drop. Like you, I feel that Gambhir has excelled in the limited-overs format, though he did play a key role in Delhi's Ranji Trophy win as well. Then again, Jaffer looked a bit lost at times against both Australia and South Africa, and with Australia and England due to visit, maybe India do need to explore other options.

[Som]

I'm not going to read too much into a practice match. Probably the unflattering scores would hurt the egos of three of the Fav Four and they might hit back with vengeance when the real Test begins. But I think they have played enough cricket not to be swayed by the practice match outcomes and have it in him to adjust fast to the occasion.

[Kittu]

What do you feel about Jaffer being dumped for this series? I like Gambhir, but it seems easy to forget that all his terrific performances of late have come in the shorter version of the game. I sometimes get the feeling that the glut of cricket leaves all of us, including selectors, confused about performances in different forms of the game. Remember Sehwag being dropped for tests after a terrible run in ODIs?