Wanted: Malinga mantra

Colombo: The much-hyped Indian batting line-up fell like nine pins in Galle resulting in an embarrassing 10-wicket defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka in the first of the three-Test series. India need to win the remaining two Tests to stay as the No.1 team in ICC rankings.

With Muralitharan gone, India can fancy their chances of beating the home team in the last two Tests — July 26 to 30 and August 3 to 7, both in Colombo — but they would be digging their own graves if they think that Sri Lanka’s attack has lost bite with the retirement of the world’s highest wicket-taker. Sri Lanka still have a certain Lasith Malinga in their ranks.

Malinga’s variation in pace and length had exposed Indian batsmen’s technical inadequacies in Galle. Malinga was effective both with the new and old ball. MS Dhoni & Co will have to prepare themselves hard in the next two days to take on Malinga’s strong arm.

India’s biggest worry is Gautam Gambhir’s form. The opener looked confused against Malinga and failed to cull out a single scoring shot against the pacer’s incoming and outgoing deliveries. Even the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Mahendra Singh Dhoni failed to properly read the toe-crushing yorkers of the slinger.

Dhoni himself admitted that Malinga was the game-changer in Galle. “Some of his deliveries were really difficult to keep out. The kind of action he has got, he got reverse swing going. It was not a fresh wicket when they started, so I think it was very difficult. If he comes for a fresh spell, you can’t really say you are set. You have to start all over again because he has got a unique action,” the Indian skipper said.

Dhoni also pointed out that the batsman had to educate themselves to play against an unusual kind of a bowler. “You just have to educate yourself as to where his delivery point is, and what he is looking to do. It’s very difficult when he comes in to bowl. At least an over, you have to be really careful, because that is the over when he usually tends to get the wicket.

“You have to keep those five or six deliveries out, and maybe then you can educate yourself — this is what is happening, and this is what needs to be done. It is about creating the awareness about what the bowler is trying to do,” he added.

Former Sri Lankan Test cricketer Duleep Mendis said the kind of experience they possess, Indians should be able to solve the Malinga mystery. “Malinga has been devastating in the Galle Test.

It is only Indian batsmen who can find out the key to play him.

“You have Sachin, Dravid, Laxman and Sehwag who have played more than 100 Tests. It is they who can teach others. They have all the experience in the world to face Malinga and I am sure they have made a plan,” he said.

“I think experience holds the key. You have to be ready to face every new ball,” he added. Dhoni & Co will have to be ready with an immediate plan to tackle Malinga or else the series would be gone along with the No.1 Test ranking.