Hope floats on dead wicket

When stumps were drawn at the Motera on Thursday,India had reached 190 for two in their second innings after Sri Lanka had declared their first dig closed at 760 for seven,the highest total ever on Indian soil. Gautam Gambhir was unbeaten on 72,while Amit Mishra was sent in for nightwatchman duties after Rahul Dravid’s dismissal late in the day. They need another 144 to make Lanka bat again but,while defeat remains a very real possibility (especially if things go wrong in the morning),India should feel disappointed if they fail to draw this match.

Sehwag’s stroke

Of the three talking points in the day,two revolved around the Indian openers,both of whom got contrasting half-centuries (the third was,naturally,over the timing of the Sri Lankan declaration). When Sehwag was on strike,you got the feeling that India were chasing 334 for a win,in a Twenty20 game.

He edged a Dammika Prasad delivery early in his innings,but the ball flew between keeper and first slip — both Prasanna and Mahela Jayawardene going halfway and then leaving it for the other. Then,a few overs later,he punched one to mid-on and ran,and would’ve been run out by a mile if Muttiah Muralitharan had hit the stumps.

He was middling a few by now,but you just knew the end was near. You’ve heard the arguments in his favour — that he sticks to his natural game irrespective of the conditions or the situation of the match; that he’s got all his runs — 5,700 already — playing in this manner; that he’s unique,and can turn matches on their heads in the matter of sessions.

Still,Sehwag getting out to a particularly hare-brained shot has got to be one of the most infuriating sights on a cricket field. On Thursday,on a track that’s still more concrete than mud,he took the ugliest of swipes at a well-flighted Rangana Herath delivery,the top-edge going straight down mid-on’s throat.

New crisis man

At the other end,of the pitch and the spectrum,was Gambhir — calm,collected,confident,and slyly keeping pace with Sehwag. He kept the reasonably good deliveries out,but each time the Lankans erred either in line or length,he was on to it in a flash.

A few years ago,the fall of Dravid’s wicket to a debatable leg-before decision four overs from stumps,would have signaled the end of the fight for India. For the supporters,it would have meant that only a tiny ray of hope remained. Within the team,it would have sparked panic.

The fact that they’re still confident — coach Gary Kirsten was reasonably assured about his team’s ability to draw this game — speaks volumes of how,and how quickly,Gambhir has stepped into crisis-man shoes. Much of the confidence stems from his 137 in Napier,where he faced 436 deliveries over 643 minutes to save a Test earlier this year.

There’s hope,also,in the numbers. The first day saw six wickets fall,the second seven,the third just two and the fourth four. Of the 19 in all,eight have gone down in the first hour of play — the only time bowlers have had something going for them. If India don’t lose the plot early,they could yet go to Kanpur on even terms. Apart from a few bruised egos in the bowling department that is.