The Sri Lankan innings ended in sedate, almost anti climatic fashion. What followed thereafter was an innings of mind blowing proportions. The second day’s play of the third Test between Sri Lanka and India at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai witnessed an enigma called Virender Sehwag who not only stunned the visitors with his seventeenth Test century but took his own team by surprise, although in all fairness both teams should know what to expect of him by now. After the Sri Lankans folded for 393, Virender Sehwag went about business, albeit with a new opening partner. Much has been debated about the reason for Gautam Gambhir’s absence from the third Test - his sister’s marriage. But Sehwag, in his typical nonchalance, appeared to have taken over the role of batting for his mate as well. While M. Vijay partnership Sehwag with the temperament of a pro although he was only playing his second Test, Sehwag simply took command of the situation and took the cricket world by storm. In a thumping, crushing innings for the opposition, Sehwag simply grew from strength to strength as the innings progressed and left Sri Lanka feeling rather small by the end of the day’s play. Sehwag was unbeaten on 284, and unstoppable but for the setting sun. But it was the manner of his strokeplay that stunned the opposition, sparing none as Muttiah Muralitharan scored his second ton of the series as well! Sehwag built two enormous partnerships that had the visitors cowering. His 221 run partnership with Vijay saw the latter miss what would have been his maiden Test century by thirteen runs. But Vijay played able fiddle as Sehwag was on song. While the Sri Lankan bowlers were made to look silly, Sehwag spared no margin of error, terrorizing their every effort as India’s scorecard galloped away.
Statisticians went into overdrive as Sehwag kept breaking his own fastest double century record while recording his own of just 168 balls, the second best behind Nathan Astle of New Zealand versus England in 153 balls in 2001-’02 season. Vijay’s dismissal by Rangana Herath failed to rein the check in on Sehwag who continued to fashion another swashbuckling double century, with Rahul Dravid keeping him company for cool. And it was not long before Sehwag was scoring runs in a hurry, reaching the 250 mark and perhaps would have even surpassed Sir Don Bradman’s record of over 300 runs in a single day had the sun stayed out longer or the Sri Lankan innings folded sooner. But Sehwag’s sights are set high while Sri Lanka will feel gutted by the turn of events, knowing that the Sehwag-Dravid partnership is unbeaten on 222 runs as India finished on thier best ever day’s play in terms of runs on 443 for one. Should Sehwag retrace his steps tomorrow, Sri Lanka may well have to kiss their chances of changing Test match win history in India goodbye.
Ind SL Day 2: SL Innings Ends Disappointingly for 99-run Angelo Matthews
Ind SL T 3 Day 1 Stumps: Dilshan Ton Keeps SL Interested
India Not Worried About Chasing No.1; SL Banking Heavily on Murali to Come Good
Sangakkara Favours Seamers Over Spinners, Dhoni Indicates Otherwise
Ind SL T3 Preview: Sri Lanka Will Have to Improve Their Game
Donald Asks Sreesanth to Press On
When Sreesanth Met Amitabh Bachchan
Imagine! Irfan Pathan is Impressed and Inspired by Sreesanth!
Gautam Gambhir Not to Play in Third Test
Ind SL T2 Day 4: India Seal Big Win with 100th Test Victory!
Ind SL T 2 Day 3 Stumps: Madness in the Middle Leaves Sri Lankan Team in Disarray
Archana Vijaya, Still Think This is a Draw?
Post 26/11 and 3/3, Is It Any Wonder That Sri Lanka Want More Security?
Ind SL T2 Day 3 Lunch, Tea and Follow On: Sreesanth nails Sri Lanka for 229, Lead by 413
Ind SL T2 Day 2 Stumps: Sri Lanka Manage to Escape Further Damage After First Ball Mayhem
Sehwag Believes Gambhir Primed to Beat Sunil Gavaskar, Sir Don Bradman
Gambhir, Sehwag - Chasing Best Partnerships
Ind SL T2: Dravid Becomes Fourth Highest Run Getter, Surpasses Allan Border
Ind SL T1 Day 2 Lunch and Tea: India Build Lead on Dravid Century (Ind All Out for 642)
Ind SL T2 Day 1 Stumps: India Looking at 700, Insists Gambhir
Murali Scores Century on Day One too; Mendis, Herath Not Far Behind
India, SL Make Interesting Choices for Second Test Bowling Line Ups
Ind SL T2: Dhoni’s Thumbs Up for Sehwag Yields Dividends
Ind SL T2 Day 1 Lunch and Tea: Gambhir, Sehwag Star in Century Stand with Individual Tons
Ind SL T 2 Preview: Personnel Worries for Both Teams
Kanpur Pitch Looks to Bury Memories of Wrath
Broken Nose Not to Come in the Way for Dilshan For Second Test
Follow the trail for all the news, views and action from the first Test with this link: Sangakkara Magnanimous For Tendulkar
Is This What Shiv Sena Wanted Tendulkar to Be Proud Of?
