India will go into the fifth and the final day of the first test match against Sri Lanka at Ahmedabad, 144 runs behind and with eight wickets still standing. And with the pitch playing the manner in which it is, the prospects of a result look very remote.
The Sri Lankans were 591/5 at the end of the third day’s play with a lead of around 170 runs, and one would have thought that they would declare the innings early enough to give them an ample scope to force the result. However, it did not happen like that, as the two overnight batsmen, Mahela Jayawardene and Prasanna Jayawardene piling on the misery for the Indian bowlers. The 600, 650 and soon the 700 were surpassed in a jiffy, as Prasanna got to his century.
Mahela Jayawardene did get out without getting to a well deserved triple century (275 off 435 balls), but that did not deter the Sri Lankans from not declaring. The wicket-keeper soon got to his 150 as well, as Sri Lanka finally declared their innings at 760/7. This was the highest ever total a team has scored against India in India, and the second highest overall against India. Before this, Sri Lanka has had compiled 952/6 in Colombo in another drawn game.
In reply, trailing by 334 runs, the Indians begun well through Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir. The pair added 81 for the first wicket, with Sehwag getting to his half century as well, off only 67 balls. However, he then tried to smote one over mid-wicket and was caught at mid-on to leave him looking silly. Rahul Dravid looked to continue with his form in the first innings, but when he had got to 38, he was hit on the pad, off a ball that looked to go down the leg-side. But the appeal was upheld and the batsman was on his way for 38.
Gambhir remained unbeaten on a good looking 74, whereas Amit Mishra, sent in as a night watchman remained not out on 12 when the play was called. India was 190/2 at the end of the day’s play, needing 144 more runs to make the Sri Lankans bat again.
