Sri Lanka Test series: India look sharp & hungry

After taking a day off, Team India got down to business on Saturday. Down 0-1 in the three-match Test series, MS Dhoni and his boys sweated it out at the Sinhalese Sports Club, the venue for the second Test. It was a strenuous session — one that lasted nearly four hours — involving a game of throwball, fielding practice and net sessions.

The Indians will surely breathe a sigh of relief as both architects of the Galle win — Muttiah Muralitharan and Lasith Malinga — won’t be around to torture them at SSC.

Malinga was rested on the advice of team physiotherapist Tommy Simsek after the bowler complained of stiffness in his right knee, chairman of selectors Aravinda de Silva said. Malinga will be replaced by Dilhara Fernando. Former captain Mahela Jayawardene was named as Kumar Sangakkara’s deputy.

The visitors, however, can’t afford to relax as mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis, who feasted on this very bunch just two years back, has been named the legendary off-spinner’s replacement.

Young pacer Nuwan Pradeep, according to many, is one for the future. And he, too, like Malinga, boasts of an unusual bowling style. What’s more, Pradeep touches 140 kph regularly.

Gautam Gambhir, who had a horrendous first Test, showed a lot of intent during training. He was the first one to pad up and bat at the nets. Coach Gary Kirsten attended to the Delhi dasher, and the South African served up a plethora of deliveries, including bouncers and yorkers. The duo then had a chat before mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton spent over 15 minutes with the southpaw.

Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh chose to run hard between wickets. Interestingly, Tendulkar, 37, gave the left-hander, almost seven years his junior, a lesson on fitness. The maestro was clearly faster than Yuvi, once the fittest member of the side.

Virender Sehwag and VVS Laxman — both of whom batted pretty well at Galle — also spent some time at the nets.

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who was down with flu but still played the first Test, looked fitter and was evidently more accurate at the nets. The ‘turbanator’ imparted decent flight on his deliveries and even beat Rahul Dravid on more than one occasion. Pragyan Ojha, who was expensive in Galle, bowled better than leggie Amit Mishra, who looked ordinary.

Ishant Sharma  sweated it out with the bat. That was after he bowled in tandem with Abhimanyu Mithun and Munaf Patel. Ishant claims to have found his rhythm again. Bowling coach Eric Simmons spent some time with Mithun.