Dravid defies Sri Lanka

The first Test match action since August 22nd kicked off in Ahmedabad between two of the finest exponents of this genre of cricket this morning. India won the toss and elected to bat, attempting to banish the memory of being all out for 76 at the hands of South Africa on this very ground.

MS Dhoni must have been cursing his decision whilst watching Chanaka Welegedara and Dammika Prasad run riot with the new ball, restricting the hosts to 32-4 within the first half an hour. To write India off is indeed a trivial pursuit, however, and Rahul Dravid continues to show just why he is such a fine batsman.

Dravid was being written off during England’s tour to these shores only 10 months ago. A fine century in that series spared him from the axe and his runs on the first day here have taken him past 11,000 Test runs and made him the fifth highest run getter in the history of the game. Interestingly, his 177 runs on day one were the most the man known as ‘the wall’ has accrued in a single day’s play.

Where Gambhir, Sehwag, Tendulkar and Laxman failed, Dravid kept his concentration and swiftly turned the tide in his side’s favour. Local supporters were bitterly disappointed to see Tendulkar depart the fray for just four runs in the week during which he is celebrating 20 years in the game of cricket. He was one of Welegedara’s three victims.

Captain Dhoni supported his man ably, constructing his second Test hundred following the departure of Yuvraj Singh for 68. Dravid compiled century partnerships with both men and will be looking for more of the same from Harbajan Singh tomorrow morning.

The Sri Lankan’s came into the day’s play on a wave of optimism following their comfortable series win against New Zealand in August. Concern’s were raised about their inexperienced pace attack having only 27 Test caps between them and the spin situation wasn’t resolved either. Murali is an automatic choice and, perhaps surprisingly to some, HMRKB Herath was preferred to the mercurial talents of Ajantha Mendis. Herath’s Test form in 2009 has been outstanding and he would walk into most sides around the world. With Murali and Mendis available, however, he has to take every opportunity to impress. A wicket-less first day and commentators such as Sanjay Manjrekar are on his back. They should have chosen Mendis, shouldn’t they?

I doubt whether Mendis would have fared much better. Dravid was one of the first to work him work out when he burst onto the scene so emphatically against India 16 months ago. The day would have belonged to the peerless Dravid whoever the opposition. Sri Lanka must first knock down ‘the wall’ before they can even contemplate a first Test victory in India in 27 years of participation. It looked likely early on this morning, but Dravid, Singh and Dhoni have taken back the initiative. I wouldn’t bet against Dravid raising his bat for his sixth Test double century tomorrow morning. Richly deserved it will be too.

By Miles Reucroft

November 16, 2009