Colombo: A high price was being placed on partnerships and Sri Lanka knew they were in a tough battle with India to clinch the third Test and the series at P Sara Oval on Monday.
Already listing at 45-2 at tea in quest of the 122 needed to wrap up the series 2-1 but the Indian bowlers, displaying fight and a touch of aggro, made the Sri Lankans fight in what was a competitive second session.It was about this time, after Dravid's cautious half-century that he gave the appearance of easily combating the bowlers as the slowIt has not been a great time for India to struggle the way they have against attacking spin bowling that achieved far more than no doubt first imagined. The pitch here at P Sara has taken a little turn, but not so much to trouble such well-travelled batsmen like Ganguly and Dravid who had their Test debuts at Lord's in 1996.
pace of the pitch enabled him to work the ball around. Rather look for the singles and twos than the boundaries. Laxman followed a similar tactic as the gameplan and the partnership took shape and they stretched the lead.
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Sachin Tendulkar's bid to become the world's leading scorer will dominate India's three-Test series against Sri Lanka starting on Wednesday.Tendulkar is 172 runs away from surpassing the 11,953 clocked up by retired West Indies captain Brian Lara - a task within the reach of the Indian batsman who likes Sri Lankan pitches.
The star averages 111.66 from six Tests in Sri Lanka with four centuries. His last Test in the country was in 1999 when he cracked a half-century and a hundred in the Asian Test championships.
The 35-year-old already holds three major batting records — the highest number of centuries in Tests (39), and the most runs (16,361) and hundreds (42) in One-Day Internationals.
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COLOMBO: Gautam Gambhir made up for his first innings flop show with a strokeful 60 as the three-day match between India and Sri Lanka Board XI petered to a mundane draw at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground on Sunday.
After India declared their first innings at overnight score of 196 for eight, the hosts scored 247 for six in 55 overs before asking Anil Kumble and his men to take strike again.
India lost Virender Sehwag (14) and Rahul Dravid (26) before reaching 129 for two in 31 overs as the match ended in a stalemate.
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Overnight rain and a consistent drizzle today morning delayed the start of the first Test between Sri Lanka and India at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground.
Unravelling the mystery of new spin sensation Ajantha Mendis will be the biggest challenge for India's famed batsmen as they go into the first Test against Sri Lanka, seeking to achieve the rare feat of conquering the islanders at home.
Batting has been India's strength in recent years and it is no different this time around as the team has plenty of experience in that department. Indians had lost a three-match Test series 2-1 on their last Test tour of Sri Lanka in 2001.
While the Sri Lankans have a formidable spin combination, the pace attack looks severely depleted by injuries to frontline pacers. Thilan Thushara and Nuwan Kulasekera will share the new ball responsibility with old war horse Chaminda Vaas.
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