Sri Lanka Collapse to Harbhajan

Following masterpieces from both Anil Kumble and Muttiah Muralitharan in Delhi, Harbhajan Singh triggered a crescendo of wickets at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad. Earlier VVS Laxman, with a nineteenth Test century, and the rising all-round talents of Irfan Pathan frustrated the depleted Sri Lankan bowling attack.

In reply to India’s reasonable total of 398, Sri Lanka’s opening problems continued. With Marvan Atapattu firmly embedded in one slot, Aviskha Gunawardene had underperformed in the first two Tests, and now Upul Tharanga failed to make an impact, undone by Pathan’s outswinger. Atapattu and Kumar Sangakkara then fronted a counterattack, with the Sri Lankan captain continuing his good form.

With the overt threat of Kumble having been survived, the overshadowed Harbhajan hit back, extracting sharp spin and bounce from a wicket upon which Muralitharan had struggled. Atapattu suffered from a rare lapse in concentration and top-edged a regulation paddle sweep to Sehwag at short-fine-leg, before Mahela Jayawardene was unable to smother his first ball, which reared up venomously and was gloved to Kaif at short-leg. Thilan Samaraweera, having enjoyed a fairytale entry to Test cricket is now experiencing the lull after the storm: he prodded uncertainly at Harbhajan to the awaiting Kaif for just a single. Kumar Sangakkara, who looked to have acknowledged Sri Lanka’s precarious position and that he had to endure the suppression, then was bowled round his legs attempting to sweep the off-spinner. Harbhajan whooped fanatically like a slobbering, delirious hyena, picking apart a victim crushed by both the loss in Delhi and by Laxman’s spirited resistance in the first-innings here in Ahmedabad. His underlying passion and drive for wickets has clearly not been stunted by his lengthy, injury-plagued break from international cricket.

After sliding to 95 for five yesterday afternoon, the remaining Indian batsmen rallied around Laxman, collaborating to form an imposing score. But the real damage was purely mental: the Sri Lankans had been dragged down from a high peaking after Mohammad Kaif’s dismissal, and forced to confront their true situation. With their main cutting edge, the fever struck Chaminda Vaas, absent, and Muttiah Muralitharan unable to break the partnership, they were left to toil in the saturating Gujurati heat. Irfan Pathan and VVS Laxman were at first tested by the lively Lasith Malinga and pinned down at times by Muralitharan, but once the initial overs had been navigated, the Sri Lankans became muted and withdrew. Playing the ball late and compactly, Laxman gradually removed the danger that had still hung over the innings overnight as India now took control of the game. Irfan Pathan, whose last two innings have now yielded his highest two Test scores, once again showed his potential with the bat and demonstrated a positive approach and nimble footwork to loft the spinners.

Eventually, with the score on 308 and their seventh wicket partnership extended to 125, Laxman missed an angled delivery from Farveez Maharoof and was bowled. Pathan remained a little longer, adding 37 more with Ajit Agarkar before he too fell to Maharoof, leg before, for 82. For the Sri Lankans however, an unusually robust and resilient Indian tailend peformed admirably, causing further annoyance, particularly to Muralitharan who failed to further his tally of yesterday’s three wickets. Kumble, in his 100th Test, made a crucial 21 as Sri Lanka’s prospects in the Test faded into the sunset.

India 398 all out (122.4 overs)
VVS Laxman 104, Irfan Pathan 82; Lasith Malinga 3 for 113, Muttiah Muralitharan 3 for 128

Sri Lanka 131 for 5 (40 overs)
Harbhajan Singh 4 for 24