Sri Lanka in India, 2009-10

[DomainK]

What BS??? Do they mean they do not eye win in other tests? They are playing to lose those?

[SRT PWNS]

May Tendulkar play for another 10 years! Sachin will score a ton and cross 30,000 international runs by the end of this test. Also keep an eye on 13,000 test runs which should be for the taking at the end of the test series. Sri Lanka won't know what hit them, go India!

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No green top at Motera this time The two teams begin their campaign to bag the three-Test series in Ahmedabad on Monday and the Indians will be eager to put the loss to Australia in the one-day series behind them and turn on the heat against the islanders, who are chasing their maiden Test win on Indian soil, reports Abhijeet Kulkarni. More... No green top at Motera this time Abhijeet Kulkarni, Hindustan Times Ahmedabad, November 14, 2009 First Published: 23:18 IST(14/11/2009) Last Updated: 23:21 IST(14/11/2009) The last time India played a Test at the Sardar Patel stadium in Motera, South Africa speedster Dale Steyn ripped apart the famed batting line-up on a green top on the very first day. The match was over in three days with the hosts suffering an innings-and-90-run defeat. The loss, and more importantly the nature of the wicket for that Test, has been the talking point among the regulars at the ground in the run up to the first Test against Sri Lanka. The two teams begin their campaign to bag the three-Test series here on Monday and the Indians will be eager to put the loss to Australia in the one-day series behind them and turn on the heat against the islanders, who are chasing their maiden Test win on Indian soil. And Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men will surely not come across another green top. Though the pitch had some grass cover on Saturday it has a very slight green tinge and curator Dhiraj Parsana said that even that will be trimmed on the eve of the match. When the two teams met here last time in December 2005, India thrashed the Lankans by 259 runs with Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh sharing the spoils in both innings. “Last year’s South Africa match was in April and I had to leave some grass for the wicket to hold for five days. That is not the case this time and you can see the wicket is lot browner than last time,” said the BCCI’s Pitch and Ground Committee west zone representative. Parsana, however, insisted that it was still a result-oriented wicket and would assist the pace bowlers in the first session if skies are overcast. “It will definitely have something for the pace bowlers initially. We will have to see how the bowlers exploit the conditions.” The Indian players, who trooped into Ahmedabad on Saturday morning, also inspected the pitch just before their net session but did not bother to give it a second look before getting on with their training. The top five batsmen had a long knock in the nets thereafter with Sachin Tendulkar concentrating on the forward defence with coach Gary Kirsten doing the throw downs. Fit-again Zaheer Khan looked in a good rhythm, though he hardly bowled at optimum pace during training. The left arm pacer, who had suffered a shoulder injury during the Indian Premier League in April, had bowled 24 of the 81 overs Mumbai bowled against Orissa on Friday and claimed three wickets.

[gult]

Last time we played, it was a green top just for a few hours on the first day.

[Jai Ho]

green top white top black top won't make a difference, we will come on top. :cantstop:

[ViruRulez]

Battle for top spot kicks off

It says something of Sri Lanka's travails on India soil that they have kept Sachin Tendulkar to 48 runs from three innings at this venue, and yet gone on to lose the Tests by whopping margins - an innings and 17 runs in February 1994 and 259 runs in December 2005. On the second occasion, with Rahul Dravid succumbing to fever on the eve of the game, it was Virender Sehwag that led the side, but with the spinners taking 17 wickets to buttress significant contributions with the bat from VVS Laxman, Irfan Pathan and Yuvraj Singh, India won comfortably. Not too many teams do, not once they've been reduced to 97 for 5 on the opening morning. That match went into a fifth morning. The one that followed it, 18 months ago against South Africa, didn't last anything like as long with India rolled over in 20 overs on the first morning. The visitors romped to an innings victory on a grass-tinged surface, and it was worth noting that the pitch to be used for this game was as near to bald as you could get. But while a three-day finish is unlikely, there's plenty to ponder for both sides. India's batting line-up picks itself, and the lack of big runs for Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir in the one-day arena won't be a concern as the action switches to white clothes. Dravid and Laxman are no longer part of the one-day plans, but both have been in decent form in recent first-class outings. As for Tendulkar, he'll probably be the last person to be affected by the hullaballoo over completing 20 years of Test cricket. The worries are on the bowling front. Harbhajan Singh took 10 for 141 in that 2005 win against Sri Lanka, and Amit Mishra's outings on home soil have also hinted at game-changing qualities. The same can't be said of the pace attack though. Zaheer Khan is just back from injury and preferred to prepare with some time in the gym rather than a net session, while Ishant Sharma and Sreesanth contested the last remaining place. "All the seamers are bowling very well right now," said MS Dhoni after the final practice. "We will see whatever suits us the best. When it comes to pace, all the three fast bowelrs that are a part of the side bowl around the same speed. I don't think speed will be a major factor. Of course, in these conditions, it does become a bit difficult for the fast bowlers. That middle period when the ball doesn't reverse and it stops swinging, it gets very hard for them to bowl. I think experience will also count at that point of time." Despite some awful performances in the limited-overs arena in recent times, Ishant should get the nod, if only because he was the best bowler in a Test series against Australia just 12 months ago. You have to go back much further for a Sreesanth headline that didn't involve some ridiculous controversy or the other. Sri Lanka's problem is one of plenty. Four of the top six that lost four years ago are still around, though Thilan Samaraweera and Tillakaratne Dilshan are indubitably better batsmen now than they were then. Tharanga Paranavitana has yet to convince at this level, and will clearly be targetted by India's new-ball bowlers, while it'll be interesting to see who takes the No.6 slot. With an allrounder such a luxury in the modern game, Angelo Mathews, whose bowling wrecked India in a one-day game not long ago, should get the nod ahead of Thilina Kandamby, the new-age Arjuna Ranatunga. Prasanna Jayawardene, the best gloveman in the world, will edge out Kaushal Silva, leaving Kumar Sangakkara and Trevor Bayliss to mull over the bowling attack. Thilan Thushara and Muttiah Muralitharan are near-certainties, leaving Nuwan Kulasekara, Ajantha Mendis and Rangana Herath to tussle for two spots. At his pre-match press conference, Sangakkara pointedly said that Herath had "outbowled Murali and Mendis in the last two series [Pakistan and New Zealand at home], and there's a strong possibility that all three could play. If they decide not to go down that route, Mendis, who started his career in such sensational fashion against India just over a year ago, looks likely to miss out. And regardless of whether you agree with the ICC rankings or not, there's the added spice of the No. 1 spot being up for grabs. A 2-0 will or better will take India to the top of the tree, while Sri Lanka success will see them scale the peak. But for that to happen, they'll need to do what no Sri Lankan team has done before. In 14 previous Tests in India dating back to 1982, they've seldom had a sniff of victory. Eight losses and six draws don't inspire confidence, but as a composed Sangakkara pointed out, there are "reputations to be made". After nearly a year of no Test cricket on Indian soil, this one should be worth the wait.

Series win means top spot for the first time in Tests :dance:

[SachDan]

'The Jaypee Cup'- India-Sri Lanka series Jaypee Cement is title sponsor for India-Sri Lanka series

MUMBAI: Jaypee Cement has taken the title sponsorship for the upcoming three-match test series between India and Sri Lanka. Information available with Indiantelevision.com indicates that Jaypee Cement has shelled out Rs 60 million for the series, 'The Jaypee Cup'. Nikon and Hero Honda have come on-board as associate on-ground sponsors. They are shelling out around Rs 25 million, says a source. The on-ground marketing rights of the series lie with the World Sport Group. The series, which begins next week, will be telecast

LINK Hero Honda and fosters shelled out Rs 150 million for the India-Australia series. This India-SL series being a low profile one this not a bad deal for BCCI.

[fineleg]

I thought danramrah was trying to mock Jayawardene when I initially saw the title

[coffee_rules]

because the two Jayas will Pee in this series seeing Amit Mishra bowl

[Jersey #10]

abhi man of the match ko ek ek jaypee cement ki boriya denge

[SachDan]

abhi man of the match ko ek ek jaypee cement ki boriya denge

Sachin endorses Jaypee cement..by making fun of Jaypee cement you are making fun of Sachin- the brand :winky:

[Jersey #10]

Sachin endorses Jaypee cement..by making fun of Jaypee cement you are making fun of Sachin- the brand :winky:

:omg:How would I know? I had never heard of Jaypee cement b4 today :hysterical::hysterical: Jaypee cement is the best ..strong :weights:

[iHammad]

Jaypee Cup is a better name than stupid Cool and Cool Cup :haha

[Jersey #10]

green top white top black top won't make a difference' date=' we will come on top. :cantstop:[/quote'] Jai HoB->

[kabira]

Do we have referral for this series? Do we have referrals for this series? If so why din't Zaheer use it, he was looking good for triple hundred :winky::winky:

[Nova]

http://www.indiancricketfans.com/showthread.php?t=191104 :hitler:

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Fernando to replace injured Thushara Sri Lankan left-arm pacer Thilan Thushara was on Tuesday ruled out of the ongoing Test series against India due to a shoulder injury. More... Tuesday 17th November 2009 Fernando to replace injured Thushara Sri Lankan left-arm pacer Thilan Thushara was on Tuesday ruled out of the ongoing Test series against India due to a shoulder injury. He will be replaced by Dilhara Fernando in the visitors' 15-member squad. Thushara has been declared unfit for around four weeks and would be sent home to undergo treatment. "Thilan Thushara, will return back to Sri Lanka due to a shoulder injury, and as such he will not be match fit for approximately 2 to 4 weeks," Sri Lankan Cricket said in a statement. "Thilan will be sent back and Dilhara Fernando will replace him," it added. Sri Lanka is currently playing the first Test of three-match series at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad. Thushara was not included in the playing XI for the ongoing match.

[iHammad]

because the two Jayas will Pee in this series seeing Amit Mishra bowl

still wicketless....:winky: He just needs to get back in rhythm and im sure he will pick up wickets. All the best Mishra!:two_thumbs_up:

[Septimius Severus]

Mishra has potential to be the marauder of Muzaffarnagar kid was useless today. Ohja for 2nd test Ohja better variety imho.

[SachDan]

Sachin to stay in hotel's presidential suite during Test match Senior batsman Sachin Tendulkar will stay in presidential suite of Hotel Landmark during the second Test match between India and Sri Lanka starting in Kanpur from Tuesday. The five-star hotel, where both the teams will stay, has decided to book the most expensive and the only suite in the hotel for Tendulkar to honour his rare fate of completing 20 years and achieving 30,000 runs in international cricket. The hotel has also decided to present Tendulkar with a citation, which comprises every description of his international records. "Sachin Tendulkar is coming to the city after completing his 30,000 runs and 20 years in international cricket. To honour the achiever of such a rare fate, we have decided to place him in the most expensive and hotel's only presidential suite," Vinay Dheer, General Manager of hotel told PTI. "We have booked suite number 1105 for the master blaster and it's on the eleventh floor of the hotel. A citation will also be presented to Sachin consisting of his international records including his 30,000 run fate," Dheer added. The hotel has also prepared a special cake for the champion batsman to celebrate his 20 years in international cricket and will be serving him plain 'khichdi' on the direction of BCCI. The other members of the team will also stay on the 11th floor but would be alloted normal rooms, Dheer said. LINK