New face,old demon

By breakfast on Saturday morning the Indian camp had heard that fast bowler Lasith Malinga wouldnt play the second Test....

By breakfast on Saturday morning the Indian camp had heard that fast bowler Lasith Malinga wouldnt play the second Test. It was also confirmed late on Friday that Ajantha Mendis,who took a record 26 wickets in three Tests the last time India played here,was in the squad for the second game.

There wont be the threat of Muttiah Muralitharan,now retired,or the one posed by Malinga after the bowler was omitted following stiffness to his right knee,one that had kept him out of Test cricket for close to 30 months. But there is a possibility of Malinga playing the third Test,if he is fit.

The absence of Muralitharan and Malinga will hamper Sri Lankas chances in the second Test. A 2-0 series win will make the hosts well-paced to become No.1 in the Test rankings. Murali and Malinga scalped 15 of the 20 Indian wickets in the first Test. Medium-pacer Dilhara Fernando is replacing Malinga,while Mendis is tipped to play in place of Muralitharan.

The variation Mendis brings to the side has to be negotiated by the Indian batsmen in the second Test. On Saturday,Mendis brought on the works when he bowled in the nets. The leg-breaks,the off-breaks,the googly and the carrom ball were on show.

The selectors didnt pick Mendis for the Asia Cup in June. It was supposed to be a tactical ploy. At Galle,he didnt feature in the side. Then the thinking was to hold back Mendis till Muralitharan retires even though he had taken six wickets in the warm-up game against India at the Colts Cricket Club. So Rangana Herath,the left-arm spinner,played along with Muralitharan.

However,it isnt clear what kind of form Mendis is carrying into the second Test. His only game of note since the tri-series in Zimbabwe in June was the tour game against India. He picked five wickets in Zimbabwe but four of them were against the hosts.

In the interim period between the tri-series and the second Test,Mendis hasnt played any local cricket because only under-23 tournaments are conducted here in this part of the year. Mendis,it is learnt,has been training or rather experimenting.

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Mendis is known to try out stuff on his own. It was during one of his experimenting sessions that Mendis developed his trademark carrom ball. His coach at the Army Sports Club Saman Hervavitharana believes that Mendis is bowling well now. It was during years with the club and under the guidance of Hervavitharana,that Mendis developed his variations.

When Mendis wasnt getting it right,there were a few changes in his delivery stride that was affecting him. For one,his run-up had become longer so he was rushing into his delivery. Now it is about seven feet,while in between it had gone up to nine. Also he is most effective when he bowls close to the stumps. It gives him greater control over line and length, Hervavitharana told The Sunday Express. I wouldnt say he is back to his best,but surely he is getting back his form, Hewavitharana added.

The Indian batsmen will have to pull up their socks in the second Test at the Sinhalese Cricket Club. They are 1-0 down after the first Test of a series in Sri Lanka for the third time in succession. There is no Malinga to trouble them but Mendis appears to be warming up with a lot of purpose.