4rd ODI: India v Sri Lanka at Colombo - Highlights

India Batting Upto Fall of Dhoni

4rd ODI: India v Sri Lanka at Colombo - Highlights








Watch India vs Sri Lanka 4th ODI highlights from Colombo, played on February 5, 2009. India won the toss and batted first.

Scoreline: India 332/5. Gautham Gambhir 150 (147). MS Dhoni 94, Suresh Raina 49 no. SL 216 - Sangakkara 56. India lead 4-0 this series and recorded their 9th win in a row following the 5-0 ODI win over England.

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A day of 90s in world cricket. Earlier, Kevin Pietersen was out for 97 vs West Indies.

Was a bit surprised when Dhoni came out today at the fall of Sehwag - Rohit Sharma was picked in the side after resting Sachin Tendulkar (ridiculous decision, cos according to Law, no series should go by without viewers being given an opportunity to watch a Tendulkar special). Anyway, Sharma might as well have been given an opportunity to play a long one. The highlights here will never convey the true picture of any innings. While Dhoni did get 94 at more than a run a ball, with a couple of sixes included, it was frankly quite boring to watch. The intent basically appeared to be singles and Gautham Gambhir who scored at a lesser run-rate than Dhoni was more entertaining. For a naturally attacking batsman like Dhoni, his current game-plan of ensuring a win everytime he bats can be dangerous. It won’t be long before a smart captain throttles him when he just walks in - in fact, we’ve seen this happen several times including the IPL 2008 - Pragyan Ojha apart from his bag of domestic wickets, has primarily made it to the team cos of the web he was able to cast on Dhoni during the IPL. Sometimes, one tends to forget the basic premise of sport - win, win, win is a deceptive concept that has overridden the underlying premise - to entertain. It’s for this very reason that one will always remember Adam Gilchrist whereas Michael Bevan might have already faded away from memory.

Enough of that.

Suresh Raina today, finally played like he did in the early part of his career - that he came late in the innings definitely helped him make his choice of play.

The SL chase was the 96 World Cup stuff, with Dilshan doing a Kaluwitharana alongside Sanath Jayasuriya. Entertaining as it was, there were moments there when I felt Irfan Pathan’s career could be put on permanent hold. But he did get Jayasuriya with some smart bowling and added another two. It’s pretty hard for him to break into the team permanently though - the only two players he could possibly replace are his brother Yusuf or Praveen Kumar and neither look like making way at this point.

Kulasekara played a few stunning shots at the end, but the SL chase came apart as it has done through this series in the middle overs.

Pre-Game: India have already won this 2009 series, and lead 3-0. As far as I’m concerned, can’t wait to see Sachin Tendulkar turn it on - that’s if the umpires let him. Update: Well, apparently the team management’s brain has gone into overdrive and they’ve rested him and Zaheer. Rohit Sharma and Irfan Pathan are the replacements. So interesting viewing ahead, anyhow.