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InDepth headlines national business sports cricket regional entertainment technology world travel autos health | in-depth coverage > India-Sri Lanka Test Series 2005 > Laxman stands tall amidst Indian batting collapse at the Motera 19.32 IST 18th Dec 2005 By Manish Kumar 
VVS Laxman saved India from total disaster by scoring a good unbeaten knock on the first day of the third Test against Sri Lanka at the Sardar Patel Stadium (Motera) in Ahmedabad on December 18.Laxman scored an unbeaten 71 to keep the Lankans at bay, while rest of the specialist Indian batsmen found it too hot to stay at the crease even though India had the advantage of winning the toss and a delayed start due to dew in the outfield. Virender Sehwag won the toss in his first Test as skipper and promptly elected to bat. But Gautam Gambhir threw the advantage along with his wicket when he walked into the trap set up by the Lankans. Gambhir (19) pulled a short ball from Lasith Malinga into the waiting hands of Upul Tharanga at mid-wicket. Sehwag (20) lost his wicket on the first ball after Lunch when he was clean bowled by Malinga, clearly beaten by pace of the bowler who bowls with an uncanny round-arm action releasing the ball in front of the umpire’s chest. Sachin Tendulkar hit one four off Mutiah Muralitharan by charging down the pitch and hitting over mid-on, but that was the only sign of aggression the Genius batsman showed against the Genius bowler. After scoring 23 runs, Sachin edged an off-break on the back foot for Jehan Mubarak to take the catch at forward short leg. Yuvraj Singh went for a second ball duck giving catching practice to Thilan Samaraweera at first slip by opening the face of his bat and gifted Murali his second wicket in the same over. Rahul Dravid’s replacement in this Test Mohammad Kaif after scoring four runs played an impatient shot and hit a short pitched delivery from Malinga Bandara into the hands of the Sri Lankan skipper Marvan Atapattu at mid-wicket. India were looking down the barrel at 97/5 when Mahendra Dhoni walked in to join Laxman at the crease, who batted at number three today and was keeping one end up. The pair of Laxman and Dhoni added 86 runs for the sixth wicket and denied the Lankans any more breakthroughs till Tea. The second session today was the most productive for the Lankans as India lost four wickets for just 52 runs. After Tea, Laxman completed his 24th Test 50, his second against Lanka. But it was the flamboyant Dhoni who was more aggressive than Laxman and was hitting the balls with some ferocious power. But Dhoni was unlucky to miss his second successive half-century by just one run when Murali trapped him plumb in front of the wicket by a vicious off-break. Dhoni’s knock of 49 runs was studded with seven fours. The confidence of Irfan Pathan with the bat is sky-high nowadays and he shone with the willow today also by scoring unbeaten 39 runs, hitting seven fours. But the innings of day’s play was played by Laxman, who with his silken but strong wrists and exquisite timing has hit nine fours in his unbeaten knock of 71 runs. Laxman used his feet well and played leg spin deliveries with a straight bat in a way only he can. The Indians have just to rally around him if they are looking to post a score of 300 runs on the board. When play was called off due to bad light India were 247/6 in the first innings. in-depth coverage > India-Sri Lanka Test Series 2005 > |
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