Bashed, battered and bruised!
That's the plight of Team India after the ten-wicket walloping from Sri Lanka in the first Test, in Galle, on Thursday.
What is more humiliating is that Sri Lanka won with nearly a session to spare on the final day, despite the final session on Day 1 and the second day's play being washed out by rain.
India's bowling was depleted big time after the injury pull-outs by their top pacers, Zaheer Khan and S Sreesanth. Their replacements, Abhimanyu Mithun and Ishant Sharma, came up with a good showing in the first innings, but the spinners disappointed.
What is baffling is how Harbhajan Singh, despite not being hundred per cent fit, was included in the side. It showed up when he struggled to bowl on the opening day. A lacklustre showing by him and Pragyan Ojha enabled Sri Lanka steal the momentum and post a mammoth 520 for eight declared in their first innings.
Harbhajan went wicketless in the 30 overs he bowled in the first innings, while Ojha went for 115 runs in 28 overs and never really threatened with the ball. The visitors were also found wanting in the catching and fielding department.
The famed batting line-up, except for Virender Sehwag (109) and Yuvraj Singh (52), disappointed, as India were shot out for 276. Following-on, they fared no better despite Sachin Tendulkar hitting 84 and VVS Laxman scoring 69.
It was the tailenders, in fact, who showed how to battle it out in adversity, the last three batsmen playing out 215 deliveries, or nearly 36 overs, between them.
If the top and middle order had shown the same resolve, maybe, India could have hung on for at least a draw. They were found wanting against Lasith Malinga's pace and swing despite having played him so much recently.
The bowlers struggled to contain the flow of runs and could not stitch together a few tight overs to put the opposition under pressure and force a few mistakes.
So, what do you think went wrong for India in the first Test? What's needed of Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men to comeback stronger in the second Test, beginning in Colombo, on Monday?
- Tell us
