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India's challenge to be the No. 1 Test team suffered a jolt as Sri Lanka established their supremacy on home soil once again. The visitors lost the series 1-2 as the famed middle order failed to live up to their billing. Cricinfo runs the rule over the losers of the 2007-08 India-Sri Lanka encounter..
8/10
Gautam Gambhir (310 runs)
Gambhir's return to the Test frame was a significant step in his career. His 310 runs were second only to Virender Sehwag's 344 in the series, and he was India's most consistent bat. Gambhir was exceptionally quick with his feet against the spinners, and his inopportune dismissals in the first Test, both times by Muttiah Muralitharan, didn't dampen his enthusiasm. Three fifties on the trot followed, with hundreds twice there for the taking, and five times out of six he provided India with starts. Gambhir's close-catching, however, needs plenty of close inspection. He regularly failed to anticipate the ball at forward short leg, highlighted by two drops in Galle and a run-out opportunity gone begging.
Gambhir's return to the Test frame was a significant step in his career. His 310 runs were second only to Virender Sehwag's 344 in the series, and he was India's most consistent bat. Gambhir was exceptionally quick with his feet against the spinners, and his inopportune dismissals in the first Test, both times by Muttiah Muralitharan, didn't dampen his enthusiasm. Three fifties on the trot followed, with hundreds twice there for the taking, and five times out of six he provided India with starts. Gambhir's close-catching, however, needs plenty of close inspection. He regularly failed to anticipate the ball at forward short leg, highlighted by two drops in Galle and a run-out opportunity gone begging.
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7.5/10
Virender Sehwag (344 runs)
After a poor first Test, Sehwag took Sri Lanka by the collar and pounded 251 runs in Galle. His innings lit up an opening day that was blighted by rain and his overall handling of Murali and Mendis was vital in India's 170-run win. He notched up an incredible 201 and backed it up with a fifty in the second innings. However, the brilliance of Galle was followed by a poor final Test, where Sehwag again was guilty of throwing away his wicket. Such is the man's predicament.
After a poor first Test, Sehwag took Sri Lanka by the collar and pounded 251 runs in Galle. His innings lit up an opening day that was blighted by rain and his overall handling of Murali and Mendis was vital in India's 170-run win. He notched up an incredible 201 and backed it up with a fifty in the second innings. However, the brilliance of Galle was followed by a poor final Test, where Sehwag again was guilty of throwing away his wicket. Such is the man's predicament.
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6.5/10
Ishant Sharma (6 wkts)
The numbers don't show it but Ishant was India's most consistent bowler, maintaining a steady line and length to pick up six wickets for 213 runs in 71.3 overs. He always gave it his best, running in on unfriendly surfaces and keeping the batsman guessing. His bowling in the second innings in Galle was outstanding, as he produced pace and bounce to rock Sri Lanka's chase of 307. An injury in the final Test ruled him out of the second innings when India most needed him.
The numbers don't show it but Ishant was India's most consistent bowler, maintaining a steady line and length to pick up six wickets for 213 runs in 71.3 overs. He always gave it his best, running in on unfriendly surfaces and keeping the batsman guessing. His bowling in the second innings in Galle was outstanding, as he produced pace and bounce to rock Sri Lanka's chase of 307. An injury in the final Test ruled him out of the second innings when India most needed him.
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6.5/10
Harbhajan Singh (16 wkts)
India's leading wicket-taker with 16, Harbhajan chipped away all series without looking excessively threatening. Just two wickets at the SSC was followed up by redemption of sorts in Galle, where his fifth ten-wicket haul helped spin India to a series-leveling win. He found dip and flight there, mixed his airspeed to weave a web around Sri Lanka, and was a contender for Man of the Match. He followed it up with four wickets at the PSS, rather unflatteringly. But after a controversial year, Harbhajan kept his cool on the field, which probably led to a successful series.
India's leading wicket-taker with 16, Harbhajan chipped away all series without looking excessively threatening. Just two wickets at the SSC was followed up by redemption of sorts in Galle, where his fifth ten-wicket haul helped spin India to a series-leveling win. He found dip and flight there, mixed his airspeed to weave a web around Sri Lanka, and was a contender for Man of the Match. He followed it up with four wickets at the PSS, rather unflatteringly. But after a controversial year, Harbhajan kept his cool on the field, which probably led to a successful series.
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5/10
Zaheer Khan (8 wkts)
Zaheer blew hot and cold to take eight wickets at 44.00. Nowhere near as lethal as his new-ball partner, Zaheer struggled for consistency. He produced breakthroughs in the first two Tests, pitching the ball up and searching for movement, but lacked zip overall. Granted he wasn't aided by the pitches, but more was expected from a bowler spearheading the attack. With Ishant, he put his top-order team-mates to shame with a dogged batting display at the PSS.
Zaheer blew hot and cold to take eight wickets at 44.00. Nowhere near as lethal as his new-ball partner, Zaheer struggled for consistency. He produced breakthroughs in the first two Tests, pitching the ball up and searching for movement, but lacked zip overall. Granted he wasn't aided by the pitches, but more was expected from a bowler spearheading the attack. With Ishant, he put his top-order team-mates to shame with a dogged batting display at the PSS.
5/10
VVS Laxman (215 runs)
Laxman had the best series among India's fabulous four, but was dismissed five times by Mendis. He continued to be undone by his nemesis, the carrom ball, on numerous occasions. Ideally, he should have batted at No.3 given his gritty fifty in the first Test, but India preferred him down the order. Laxman got starts on most occasions but sublime silken shots through midwicket didn't mask his indecisiveness against spin. He went past 6,000 Test runs in his final innings - a fighting 61 not out despite an injured ankle - but finally ran out of partners
Laxman had the best series among India's fabulous four, but was dismissed five times by Mendis. He continued to be undone by his nemesis, the carrom ball, on numerous occasions. Ideally, he should have batted at No.3 given his gritty fifty in the first Test, but India preferred him down the order. Laxman got starts on most occasions but sublime silken shots through midwicket didn't mask his indecisiveness against spin. He went past 6,000 Test runs in his final innings - a fighting 61 not out despite an injured ankle - but finally ran out of partners
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4/10
Rahul Dravid (148 runs)
Throughout this series, Rahul Dravid has been the personification of a player battling with an uncertain mind. He was been pinned back by bowlers who had both bite and accuracy, but his frailty against Mendis told. The rot started with an indecisive shot against Mendis at the SSC and he fell to the same bowler four times. He showed a semblance of form with 44 in the second innings in Galle, and his only half-century of the series came when defeat was virtually a foregone conclusion, but the dogged 226-minute vigil, given the tribulations he has been put through, felt like a new beginning. His slip catching remained very good.
Throughout this series, Rahul Dravid has been the personification of a player battling with an uncertain mind. He was been pinned back by bowlers who had both bite and accuracy, but his frailty against Mendis told. The rot started with an indecisive shot against Mendis at the SSC and he fell to the same bowler four times. He showed a semblance of form with 44 in the second innings in Galle, and his only half-century of the series came when defeat was virtually a foregone conclusion, but the dogged 226-minute vigil, given the tribulations he has been put through, felt like a new beginning. His slip catching remained very good.
3/10
Anil Kumble (8 wkts)
The end is near for India's most successful wicket-taker ever. He came into this series with five wickets from four matches in 2008 and failed to add to that at the SSC. He wasn't helped by two dropped catches by Dinesh Karthik, and came back well to take five wickets in Galle, including two in an over to wrap up Sri Lanka's first innings. Yet overall, Kumble rarely threatened, as he failed to extract turn anywhere near the degree that Murali or Mendis conjured up. He was too flat and frequently dropped short. It's hard to see Kumble bowling on after the end of the year.
The end is near for India's most successful wicket-taker ever. He came into this series with five wickets from four matches in 2008 and failed to add to that at the SSC. He wasn't helped by two dropped catches by Dinesh Karthik, and came back well to take five wickets in Galle, including two in an over to wrap up Sri Lanka's first innings. Yet overall, Kumble rarely threatened, as he failed to extract turn anywhere near the degree that Murali or Mendis conjured up. He was too flat and frequently dropped short. It's hard to see Kumble bowling on after the end of the year.
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3/10
Sachin Tendulkar (95 runs)
Tendulkar entered the series needing 172 runs to overhaul Brian Lara's record of 11,953 runs in Tests. He failed to get there, scratching around instead for 95 runs in six innings, as poor a series one can remember from him in ages. He went on the offensive against Mendis at the SSC only to fall to Murali twice.After throwing away a good start in the second innings in Galle, he finished with a dismal showing at the PSS - fatally padding up to become Mendis' 25th wicket - and injuring his left elbow to rule himself out of the ODI series.
Tendulkar entered the series needing 172 runs to overhaul Brian Lara's record of 11,953 runs in Tests. He failed to get there, scratching around instead for 95 runs in six innings, as poor a series one can remember from him in ages. He went on the offensive against Mendis at the SSC only to fall to Murali twice.After throwing away a good start in the second innings in Galle, he finished with a dismal showing at the PSS - fatally padding up to become Mendis' 25th wicket - and injuring his left elbow to rule himself out of the ODI series.
3/10
Sourav Ganguly (96 runs)
Like Tendulkar, Ganguly was abysmal in the series. Not long ago he had played sublime innings against South Africa at Ahmedabad and Kanpur, but in Sri Lanka he was blighted by indifferent footwork and poor shot selection. He played a needless sweep against Murali at the SSC, went fishing against Vaas in Galle, and threw away a start at the PSS. His military medium pace was also ineffective.
2/10
Dinesh Karthik
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's opting out of the series provided another opportunity for Karthik, but he failed miserably. Rated India's best wicketkeeper and one of the better in-fielders, Karthik's display this series was substandard. At the SSC, where India lost by an innings and 239 runs, he dropped Mahela Jayawardene on 55 and 96, and missed another chance off Anil Kumble in Galle. The less said about his batting the better-his mindless reverse-sweep ten minutes before stumps on day three at the SSC didn't have any effect on him in his other innings.
2/10
Parthiv Patel
Karthik's poor returns handed Parthiv a chance in the third Test, his first since 2004 and he showed he had improved only marginally. He wasn't much better than Karthik, and copped a nasty blow to the nose on the third day of the third Test .
