 Murali, Mendis bring India on knees
26th Jul 2008 18:01 IST
Agencies
A spineless India slumped to their third heaviest Test defeat as Sri Lanka clinched the first Test by an innings and 239 runs with the spin combination of Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis plotting the visitors' downfall at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo today.
After enforcing the follow-on, Muralitharan (6/26) and Mendis (4/60) tore through the Indian batting order to bundle out the visitors for a paltry 138 to record Sri Lanka's biggest victory at home with one day to spare, which also gave them a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
It was an abject surrender by the tourists who were dismissed for 223 in the first innings and put up and capitulated in an even more shocking manner in the second essay.
Only opener Gautam Gambhir (43) provided a semblance of resistance but none of the other batsmen could counter Muralitharan and Mendis who mesmerised the opposition with their guile and variety.
Although the SSC track had not deteriorated too much, the Indians showed a complete lack of application with their second innings lasting barely 45 overs.
The experienced Indian batting line-up seemed to have no clue to the spinners as Virender Sehwag (13), VVS Laxman (21), Sachin Tendulkar (12), Rahul Dravid (10) and Sourav Ganguly (4) perished in quick succession to shatter any hopes of a fightback.
The ICC's experimental rule of allowing teams to review umpire's decision also came handy for the home team as Sehwag, Tendulkar and Dravid, who were initially given not out by the field-umpire, were adjudged out after viewing television replays.
Resuming their first innings at 159/6, India required an extraordinary display of batting from skipper Anil Kumble and Laxman to avoid the follow on.
However, nothing worked as Muralitharan (5/84) and Mendis (4/72) continued toying with the Indian batting and wrapped up the innings in the first session itself.
Laxman fought well for his 56 runs before becoming the fourth victim of mystery spinner Mendis.
Before being bowled by Mendis, Laxman and Ishant Sharma (13) did their best to delay the inevitable with a dogged 35-run partnership for the last wicket.
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