ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The laments were not only long drawn but at times petty as the Indians,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ while granting them super star status in the cricket world by virtue of the World Cup and the Champion’s Tropy do have their achilles heels toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ worry about as was the case todayƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ where all their big guns including the scintillating DawanƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ failed to fire as the Lankans made merry, deserving every accollade towards being a team not to be trifled with in case the IndiansƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ or anyone else thought they were pushovers.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ TheƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  reason for India’s loss according to the opinionsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Messers, Lal, Dujon, Cozier et al was deemed to beƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the absence of M.S. DhoniƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  watching disconsolately from the pavilion. The one personƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ whom they seemed to think might have singlehandedly piloted India to victoryƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ but the fact of the matter which stoodout quite visibly in this resounding loss to Sri Lanka was that they were outplayed in every department of the game Dhoni notwithstanding. There was of course that element of bad luck that sometimes accompanies such contests, ” the guise ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ rudderless ship sans Dhoni “ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ as one commentator mused,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ hard done by the odd umpiring decisions and perhaps the wrong judgement call to field first where Kohli appeared to be the greenhorn he categorically was but all in all no excuses for the comprehensive loss.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ And ifƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Dhoni’s absence is really a key factor then the IndiansƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ may have a few worries to comeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ as there seems to be a good chance he may miss the rest of it as his injury seems to be a nagging one from which he might not recover for the rest of the series according to reports from the Carribean and also hinted at in the commentary box.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ SoƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ as things stand,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ India’s chances of making the tri-series finalƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  nowƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ seem dauntingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ as they need to win both remaining matchesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ where the West Indies have toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ beat Sri Lanka to avoid India needing a bonus point. It will be a testing time forƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the newƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Indian Captain Virat Kohli who needs to fill the shoes of his predecessor DhoniƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ equitably,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ perhaps a big askƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ but it could bring out the best in the young Indian superstar, a worthy and befitting title and in which case the rest of the series could see some razzle dazzle by the Indians. and some spirited responses from both the Sri Lankans and the Windies who seem to be in cracking formƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ taking into accountƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ their wins, taking nothing away from the Lankans who perhaps were the underdogs against India but turned out to be top dogs as they systematically chewed up their opponents.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka roared back to life after the loss to the Windies as their team putƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ up a fine allround effort well co-ordinated by their youngƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ skipper Angelo Mathews.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Put into bat by Kohli on what appeared to be a track favourable to the bowlersƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the LankanƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ opening pair of Tharanga and JayawardenaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ handled the Indian pace and spinƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ attack in cool and controlled fashion alhough both were let off the hook early with dropped chances and made the Indians pay dearly for their lapses.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Both scored fine hundredsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in even time, Jayawardena in all his elegant glory and finesse and Tharanga withƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ all the fire power and controlled hittingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ where the two were poetry in motion as far as opening partnerships go this one worth over 200 runsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ with all the shots in the book and some outside it. It wasƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a dazzling display ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  battingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  after a somewhat tentative start complimented by Mathew’s cameo after Jayawardena’s dismissal as the Lankans posted a near record breaking ODI total of 348 for 1 which the Indians seemed never in contention to chase successfully as they folded for 161.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Lankan Skipper Mathews showedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ much poise and maturityƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  withƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  his field placings and bowling changes which he handledƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ quite brilliantly never letting the Indian batsmen take control. Opening the bowling with Nuwan Kulasekera and using Lasith Malinga “the toe crusher”ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in short bursts and bringing on spinners Herath and Senenayaka in tandemƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  he orchestrated the debacle for the powerful Indian batting lineupƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  quite effectively.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The resultƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ seemed clinically acurate towards what might be in store for their opponents in the rest of the series if they co-ordinate as well as they did on this day when the Indians were humbled.