Friday, September 10, 2010

If you were thinking of Sri Lanka for your honeymoon; think again. Because MS Dhoni’s having a shocking time on the paradise island.

Married to his childhood sweetheart earlier this month, Dhoni could be forgiven for dreaming about a deserted beach and a glass of something cold and elaborate.

Instead he is sweating and swearing in Colombo as his side scrap to stay in this series. They fought well yesterday.

But Sri Lanka have still won six of the eight days so far on this tour, with India and the rain tied at one day each.

Should this pattern continue, Dhoni will leave Lanka without his second most valuable possession (after his new bride).

Because the No.1 Test ranking, which India have held since beating the Sri Lankans at home last year, is being gradually prised from his hands by Kumar Sangakkara, whose side will replace India as top dogs should they win this series 2-0 or better.

Now clearly, Sri Lanka’s presence at the top of the Test rankings would raise even more eyebrows than India’s ascension last November.

Because their record in Australia, India and South Africa, the three toughest tours, is comically bad. Played 24, Lost 14, Drawn 10, Won 0 are not the vital statistics of a truly great side. So in the event that they do overtake India, only boffins with calculators - rather than cricket fans with brains - would recognise them as Test cricket’s top team.

However, it would take a brave man to argue that India still deserve that accolade, given their current performances.

Indeed, even lawyers as expensive as those currently employed by Lalit Modi would struggle to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Harbajhan Singh, Ishant Sharma, Abimanju Mithun and Pragyan Ohja are an attack that will frighten top sides.

In many ways, despite all the progress made under Dhoni, this tour has looked horribly like an Indian regression. Packed with quality batsmen, India remain desperately short of wicket-taking bowlers.

Apart from Virender Sehwag, they lack a player who can change a game in a session, as Murali did at Galle or Mohammad Aamer did at Headingley. And teams like that will inevitably play much of their cricket on the backfoot, particularly, as Dhoni will attest, when the luck of the coin goes against you.

Of course, not all of India’s problems can be routinely solved by the captain. He has been criticised for not picking an extra bowler, but quality rather than quantity is the real issue. Would Irfan Pathan, Munaf Patel or Amit Mishra really have made that much of a difference at the SSC? Or would India still have spent two days chasing leather?

Dhoni, though, must carry the can for India’s lack of aggression.

They have been flat since the first day at Galle, and Dhoni has looked far removed from the character described by Starcom suit Mahesh Ranka, who said last week: “India’s youth, who make up a majority of her population, identify with Dhoni’s aggression and composure on the field.” He’ll need both of those in abundance if India are to leave Sri Lanka with their pride still intact.