Dear Mahela,

[Bumper]

My biggest worry is our batting. Our highest score in 4 innings has been 329, with Sehwag contributing 60% of the runs. We are heavily dependent on the openers putting up a big score to manage a decent total. We will be tested only when the openers go out cheaply. Am hoping it wont happen, but law of averages worries me. Our MO has to be able to score runs against M & M. With all of them struggling for form, am not so sure, we are out of the woods yet. Our bowling attack however, is slightly better overall.

[MundaPakistani]

I will be quietly confident about IND's chances. SL's main problem is their pace bowling department. Currently the Indian batsmen can walk out there without there and play the entire innings without a helmet, the S Lankan keeper on the other hand can create some sort of a record by standing up to the stumps for the entire innings. Its hardly a mystery that the Lankan "pace" bowlers have gotten mere 5 wickets in 4 completed innings.

[satishg]

a very gud OP..i share ur confidence and i dont think there is anything cocky abt it..we did very well to bounce back in the second test after being written off by everyone..and as u have mentioned its our fast bowlers who did the damage in the second innings..so Mahela will definitely be wary abt that fact and he does have a catch 22 situation in his hands now..yes our middle order hasn clicked but im 100% sure that they are going to make amends for the past 2 matches..Viru is in prime form as well as Gauti and if they do get a flier up front then we wont see a repeat act of the second test as in we wont fold for 300+ this time.. Bhajji is in very gud form after a long time and Anil well u can never write him off..so all in all the chances for the Indian team are looking brighter than the Lankans and we are definitely the favorites..

[gs]

Team India is notoriously inconsistent! It hasnt won back to back tests in God knows how long, especially if they are series deciders. 2 spectacular performances has kept us afloat this series. Most of the problems that were there after test 1, are still there now. Kumble looks flat, MO is in a spin daze, a listless keeper, and ground fielding. Keeping these in mind, I am hoping against hope that we dont lose the 3rd test. In my opinion, Mahela and Srilanka have a better chance of winning with a SSC/Galle like pitch again. Sehwag cant play an innings like that nor can Bhajji take 10 wickets every match.

[DravidDaBest]

Ouch. Low blow, doc. I am not that Buddhist anyways. But you know what i mean. I agree with those who think Swetabh's address is a bit too gung-ho. I don't think India is going to close the deal, i think SL will react like a wounded lion. Don't forget, last time we went there, we got murdered. Kumble hasn't been effective against Lanka in a while except only on Indian test pitches and that too, he's been clobbered sometimes by the Lankans in India. I think Kumble has been ineffective against Lanka but at the same time, calls for his retirement is unfairly harsh : think about it, when has Kumble last been effective against Lanka outside of India ? Harby might do well in suitable conditions but lets face it, odds are, if Harby does well, Murali or Mendis will do better. And our fab-four are out of form mostly compared to the SL guns. I think this was a fabulous victory from the Indians but its more due to two exemplary performances than a team demolition job ala 1st Test. Lets face it, Veeru's innings was one of those exceptional knocks and Ishant-Zaheer's spell killed Lanka. I tend to put my odds on teams that show clinical demolitions than ride on exceptional performances to win. Perhaps India's team is fired up for the 2nd life and would rise. But i think, sadly, odds are SL will crush us next test.

I sincerely want to know whether you ever watched the current Test series

[Dhondy]

Will you risk throwing up a flat pitch to this Indian batting line up? There might be no escape routes left in that scenario if you happen to lose the toss. Remember, Indians will be more than happy to come back with a drawn series specially after their first test mauling and a drawn series will do nothing to enhance the reputation of the Sri Lankan test side who have been losing abroad everywhere anyways. And what about your own team's batting? Will it be equipped to handle the pressure of a big score on a flat wicket after their recent surrender?

The SSC at Columbo was as flat as they come. The mistake SL made was in not preparing a similar flat deck, but going in with a dry track at Galle, allowing the less prolific Indian spinners to come into the picture. The next track is bouncy. There'll be reward for quicks who bend their back.

[Ram]

I am less concerned about how the pitch is going to be and more worried about who is going to win the toss.

[Dhondy]

Watch out for Vandort. Loves bouncy tracks.

[DravidDaBest]

Quite a number of factors (Not in any particular order) 1. Toss 2. Effectiveness of Harby and Ishant 3. Indian MO vs Murali/Mendis 4. Nature of the pitch (Flat, Spinner or bouncy track) 5. Zaheer vs Sangakara 6. Karthick or Parthiv's performance 7. Sehwag/Gambhir opening partnership Hmmm...Interesting test...Can't wait

[fineleg]

satishg, You keep saying VS and GG are in "good form". What abt RD, SRT, SG and VVS? We need them for Test-3 or Sanga and Jaya may run away with it along with M&M

[satishg]

satishg, You keep saying VS and GG are in "good form". What abt RD, SRT, SG and VVS? We need them for Test-3 or Sanga and Jaya may run away with it along with M&M

well thats wat i meant in my post..the 2nd tests mistakes wont be repeated..the middle order will come gud..all 4 haven played competitive cricket for quite some time and that showed in their performance..im pretty sure our middle order will come to the party in this match..btw VVS has looked in good shape and even sachin too..both of them were not struggling..it was that one mistake that got their wicket..only sourav is struggling and RD was coming to terms with Mendis with his 44 in the second innings..So the signs are gud and their class will be stamped in the next match..im pretty confident about that :two_thumbs_up:

[Dhondy]

Dear Mahela, I just wanted to let you know that Shwetabh will write to you again. At the moment, he is undergoing endoscopic removal of his foot from his stomach. It'll take some time because he's a size 14.

[zubinpepsi]

u were waiting for this.. werent u Dhondy..?? :D

[Ram]

Dear Mahela, I just wanted to let you know that Shwetabh will write to you again. At the moment, he is undergoing endoscopic removal of his foot from his stomach. It'll take some time because he's a size 14.

:cantstop:

[The Outsider]

Dear Mahela, I just wanted to let you know that Shwetabh will write to you again. At the moment, he is undergoing endoscopic removal of his foot from his stomach. It'll take some time because he's a size 14.

:hysterical::hysterical::hysterical: Dear Mahela, Regardless the false sense of complacency that Dhondy is trying to drive you in, it's a long long road ahead. 250 isn't the best score out there but having lost an opener and having two walking wickets out there in the middle, 25/3 won't be the ideal start for your team on a pitch where you will bat last.

[punjabi_khota]

^ There are also people who can write couple of sentences and also put together coherent thoughts, who are also doing the same thing. No bravado needed there!:giggle:

[The Outsider]

Dear Mahela, After your batting line up has crumbled yet again with India facing a prospect of nothing more than a 50 run lead, you must be a worried man again and so would Dhondy. Now, I am not a doctor or a shoe specialist so I will leave things at where they are - it's a fascinating test being played out with no winner or loser till now, since both teams have had a bat on the pitch, as the old adage goes about judging a wicket.

[umpire]

imagine had Samarweera given out Srilanka would have conceded the lead. We are very much into it. The great thing India did was never let them off the hook. Even if we wicket was not coming, they did not give away runs.

[DomainK]

Mahela has a very big problem to deal with: he has to bat last on a pitch that is fast deteriorating. Even a target of 150 might seem too big. They have to get rid of the Indian batsman at a very fast pace. Just one good partnership in the Indian innings can take the match away from Srilanka.

[The Outsider]

Dear Mahela, Congratulations on the series win. Well played. The insipid body language of the Indians on the third morning of what could have been a historic day for them means they have given up the fight and it's all over but for some fat lady to sing somewhere. With this kind of an attitude and approach they deserve nothing less than a drubbing in the match and series and hopefully Murali and Mendis will make sure that it will happen. The show is over people, we can all go home now.