*Official* Sri Lanka in India

[Shri]

The innings dont count dawg, Anwar would hit 500 here. Just sayin that you are a clown.

 

[marc71178]

Yes, please wait for the actual match to at least reach day 4. Last time everyone said draw and India won by an innings FFS.

Will it make day 4?!

 

[Sir Alex]

The match is standing now like a 260 allout followed by 305/1 after 2 days play which is perfectly acceptable.

 

[honestbharani]

Sehwag said that the wicket was damp on the first day and helping the bowlers, and has become good for batting now, will be more so tomorrow and will start to take turn on days 4 and 5.

The ideal pitch then.. something for everyone..

 

[silentstriker]

Crazy S/R. His last triple century came at run a ball. I can't believe he might better that.

 

[Sir Alex]

India should look at declaring (if that happens) with a lead of 350 tomorrow evening. With two days left in the test SL will be against the wall.

 

[Uppercut]

One man who might be grateful that all the talk is about Sehwag this morning is Murali. For all his ineffective performances over the past year or so, there was always a general feeling that you could never write the man off and on the right pitch he would still be lethal to face.

Today might well have put an end to that. With the turn and bounce Harbhajan was getting yesterday and this morning the stage seemed set for Murali to roll back the years and tie the series for Sri Lanka. His failure to do so could barely have been more emphatic. This may well be a watershed moment in his career.

Then again, it might not. Never write the man off

 

[silentstriker]

Well, he has said he will retire in like three more Tests, so I don't think it's a particularly watershed moment.

 

[Pratters]

Murali's career is ending horrendously. He performed poorly in Australia and his performances over the last year have been disappointing. It closes the gap between him and Shane Warne in that Murali is also a mortal. I would still rate Murali ahead of Warne based on achievements though I like Shane Warne a lot more.

 

[R_D]

I wish i had stayed at home to watch this carnage.... what an innings. Hopefully goes onto make 300 now tomorrow.

 

[ret]

What a massacre at Mumbai!! Sehwag 284 not out on a pitch that is suppose to assist bowlers too .... Ind 443/1 in 79 overs, RR 5.6 per over, Enough said!

I haven't heard of a performance like this in a long time ----> Sehwag

 

[Fusion]

What an awesome innings by Sehwag! I don't care if his massive scores have come on flat tracks, at home, or against suspect bowling (all of which are highly dubious criticisms IMO), it still takes great skill to do what he has done.

 

[Dissector]

Just got back after watching the last couple of sessions live at Brabourne earlier today and as you can imagine it was a great experience. Roaring "Veeru, Veeru"with the crowd when Sehwag got his double hundred is one of the highlights of my life as a cricket fan.

 

[Ikki]

What an awesome innings by Sehwag! I don't care if his massive scores have come on flat tracks, at home, or against suspect bowling (all of which are highly dubious criticisms IMO), it still takes great skill to do what he has done.

Yes, great point. People who constantly hit the flat-track button against the likes of Sehwag et al forget that it's actually still very hard to score 100+ against these attacks, anywhere. Nevermind triple centuries.

 

[silentstriker]

More importantly, when should India declare, assuming they aren't bowled out early? Until after tea tomorrow with a lead of about 350 (gives them a sniff and maybe they'll be more likely to go for it)? Or bat all day and if possible, until lunch on the 4th day and set them 500+?

India haven't been #1 Test side in the world since 1973, so it's a big deal, even if it's just via rankings.

 

[Prince EWS]

More importantly, when should India declare, assuming they aren't bowled out early? Until after tea tomorrow with a lead of about 350 (gives them a sniff and maybe they'll be more likely to go for it)? Or bat all day and if possible, until lunch on the 4th day and set them 500+?

India haven't been #1 Test side in the world since 1973, so it's a big deal, even if it's just via rankings.

Hmm I'd probably declare just before stumps. The word seems to be that the pitch will stay excellent for batting tomorrow and for part of Day 4 before deteriorating rapidly on the last two days. Assuming that is indeed the case, you don't want to hand Sri Lanka good batting conditions for no good reason and even potentially risk getting rolled for a stupidly low score in the fourth innings on a spitting pitch. Now I know that's extremely unlikely, but there's no real reason to not bat on at all (unless the weather forecast is questionable, I suppose). Even if Sri Lanka do bat that time out they'll pass what India would've set them by declaring earlier anyway; there's really nothing to lose by batting on for a while, particularly if Sehwag stays in for a session.

 

[ret]

I agree with the above statement, Ind should look to bat for the most part tomorrow. If they do that they would have tons of runs anyways .... probably declare a little before the close to see if they can pick up a couple of quick wkts

 

[Pratters]

Sachin to ton up.

 

[Sir Alex]

Sachin to ton up.

sachin has usually not performed well in Sehwag shows except Multan. So I dont expect him to ton up. Actually I would like to see Yuvraj and Dhoni being promoted up the order to keep the momentum going once one of these guys get dismissed.

 

[Pratters]

Tendulkar isn't getting many chances to bat and I think he would be desperate to make runs here. Would be a very determined Tendulkar and I would not change his order at all.