Cricket becomes all the more interesting when the wicket provides equal opportunity for both batsmen and bowlers. The ultra-flat wickets in the subcontinent have always made a mediocre batsman look good, and a good fast bowler a seemingly pedestrian one.
The wicket in Dambulla has truly brought the much-required balance to the game where bowlers too have a definitive role to play.
I know the game of cricket is identified with fours and sixes. But the same scoring shots bring much more meaning when the contest is even between the bat and the ball.
Jayasuriya's shoulder injury was a blessing in disguise for the hosts. The Sri Lankan batsmen were struggling for form, but found depth in their batting order when Jayasuriya walked in at No.7. His efforts served as a great lesson in this game. His courageous knock emphasized that a player can ably contribute to the side despite an injury. Jayasuriya was visibly in pain, but his unflinching commitment and the will to win was the analgesic.
Indian debutants Suresh Raina and Venugopal Rao didn't waste any time in making their presence felt. Performance in the first few games is extremely crucial for growth at the international level. Whenever youngsters fail to perform in the initial stages their fragile minds feel lonely. All the self-doubt and desolation come from this loneliness. These two lads certainly had a good beginning.
Raina's fielding was an eye-opener. The Uttar Pradesh boy has emulated his senior, Mohammed Kaif, who is still the best fielder in the side. The presence of Raina along with Yuvaraj Singh and Kaif has added a spring to the Indian team's fielding department. Against the West Indies, Raina showed good technique to counter short-pitched balls. In fact, he bowled reasonably well to be called a potential all-rounder.
Venugopal Rao did show maturity in his batting. Playing Muralitharan for the first time, Rao chose to play the correct shots against the world-class spinner. The best thing that has happened to these youngsters is that they didn't have to warm the bench for too long. Sitting on the bench for too long is also a good ground for picking bad habits. This is what J P Yadav needs to be watchful about.
The win against a highly inexperienced West Indies was more of a consolation than anything else. The pace of Jermaine Lawson and Tino Best rattled the Indians a bit. If not for Rahul Dravid, the Indians would have struggled.
Dravid led the team meticulously. The test of captaincy comes to the forefront when the team is defending a small total. His impeccable bowling changes and field placements did land the Islanders in discomfort.
Now that Sourav Ganguly is back in the side, he would be opening the innings with Virender Sehwag. Unfortunately, it would literally shut doors for Laxman, who picked an untimely back injury. In the absence of Sachin and Sourav, Laxman was called in to the side for his experience. He would be a worried man as to where would he find another opportunity to play in the eleven.
The team think-tank would be seriously debating on who should be making way for the ex-skipper. Raina or Venugopal could be the most probable candidates to get the axe.
Even Kaif might feel the heat. Keeping out either of the newcomers would be pragmatic than keeping out the fairly experienced Kaif.
In the build-up for the World Cup 2007, players like Kaif form an integral part of a major event. The team has to look for the right blend of youth and experience. Fortunately, Mohammed Kaif has both these credentials.
Javagal Srinath is a former India pace bowler
