Tendulkar keeps India afloat

COLOMBO: Sachin Tendulkar hit his 48th Test century to lead India’s fightback in the second Test after Sri Lanka’s new-look bowling attack ran through the top order. The world’s leading run-scorer in both formats was unbeaten on 108 as India, replying to Sri Lanka’s first-innings total of 642, recovered to reach 382 for four by stumps on the third day. India, who lost the opening Test in Galle by 10 wickets to trail 1-0 in the three-match series, need 61 runs more runs to avoid a follow-on.

The tourists were 165 for no loss at one stage before suffering a mini-collapse to be reduced to 173 for three in the morning session.

Tendulkar however, stood rock-solid at one end for four hours and 37 minutes to anchor India’s revival. He put on 68 for the fourth wicket with VVS Laxman (29) and 141 for the unbroken fifth with debutant Suresh Raina, who ended the day unbeaten on 66. Tendulkar reached his fifth hundred this year by sweeping Randiv to the square-leg fence for his 13th boundary.

Sri Lanka were left to rue Tendulkar’s lucky escape on 29 when wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene failed to grasp a head-high catch as the batsman attempted to slice a ball from Dilhara Fernando to third man.

The hosts changed their entire frontline bowling attack following the retirement of Muttiah Muralitharan and after losing fast-bowler Lasith Malinga to a knee injury. It gave an ideal chance to debutant spinner Suraj Randiv as he claimed two for 108 from 35 overs while Mendis returned figures of two for 92 from 26 overs on a wearing wicket that afforded bounce and turn to the spinners.

Openers Virender Sehwag (99) and Murali Vijay (58) put on 165 for the first wicket before Sri Lanka hit back, removing both batsmen in the space of 11 deliveries. Sehwag was one run away from his 21st century when he rushed out to loft Randiv’s first ball of the day, misjudged the line and was stumped.

Vijay compiled a confident half-century but was dismissed when he misread a googly from Mendis and was caught plumb in front of the wicket.

Randiv struck a second time before lunch when he trapped Rahul Dravid leg-before for three. Laxman partnered Tendulkar for most of the afternoon session, before falling just ahead of the tea interval when he was leg-before to Mendis. Tendulkar moved to his half-century by lofting Randiv for a six over long-on and celebrated the milestone by hitting the off-spinner for two consecutive boundaries. Raina, 23 reached his 50 by driving Randiv through the covers.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 29^th, 2010.