Team India Has The Batting To Combat Any Situation

The most lustrous batting line up in the world must rise up to its lofty stature in the first Test at Galle starting on Sunday. Time and again, the super quintet (or sometimes a round half a dozen) has pulled off the most amazing of feats to over up for the weaker aspect of Indian cricket – the bowling.

In recent times, however, with the bowling rising to the occasion and batting living up to its reputation the Indian team has touched dizzy heights with the result that it is perched at the No.1 spot in the ICC Test rankings.

How many times in the history of Test cricket could a team have had the first four boasting of an average of fifty plus and a fifth who has an average in the mid 40s? The class, skill and experience of this Indian batting line up is hard to beat, and even after conceding that the Sri Lankan batting line up too has notched up many notable feats, particularly in recent years and at home, there is no denying that the Indian batting is without peer in the game today.

And, that is a comforting feeling for the Indian cricket follower for when one looks at the bowling line up one can only shudder with fear and anxiety. As it is, with Zaheer Khan having Ishant Sharma and Sreesanth for support the pace attack was not one that inspired confidence. The withdrawal of Zaheer and Sreesanth through injuries made the opening attack emaciated, considering the fact that Ishant has not exactly delivered following his dream debut in Australia in 2007-08.

Fortunately, the Indian pace bowling cupboard is not exactly bare and there are any number of claimants for places when a bowler drops out due to various injuries. From RP Singh to Ashish Nehra, from Irfan Pathan to Munaf Patel the replacement list is quite impressive. But the selectors' decision to opt for Abhimanyu Mithun again made the Indian cricket fan uncomfortable.

There was also talk of sending for Jaidev Unadkat, who is currently with the India A squad in England. Talented as Unadkat and Mithun are one is not sure whether they are ready for to don the India cap now. In the absence of Zaheer and Sreesanth what is needed is a bit of experience and fortunately Munaf Patel was flown to Colombo as a replacement.

Still a trio of Ishant, Munaf and Mithun does not seem to have the firepower to take on the likes of Thilan Samaraweera, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Tillekeratne Dilshan. What's more these players have been particularly prolific at home.

Early warning signals have been hoisted after the warm-up game at Colombo where the totals notched up by the Sri Lanka Board President's XI were 514 for nine and 260 for six with four batsmen helping themselves to centuries.

A lot then would depend on the competitive Harbhajan who relishes such a challenging situation. Pragyan Ojha's bowling in the warm-up game was a source of comfort and he and Harbhajan should be the spin duo on duty in the first Test. With match figures of one for 141 in the warm-up game Mithun's confidence levels cannot be high and it should be Ishant and Munaf sharing the new ball at Galle.

The quartet does not look to be a line up that could contain the strong Sri Lankan batting and some help from the non-regular bowlers could be required. But then the home team bowlers could face an even more serious problem when confronted by the formidable Indian batting.

Considering the fact that India have won three Tests to Sri Lanka's five in contests in the island nation as also that they have won only one series way back in 1993 when Sri Lanka were still feeling their way around in international cricket it would be tempting to place the home team in the favourities circle.

But then India are the No 1 Test team and that is something that the Lankans will have to guard against. The confidence level of the Indians is at an all time high and it has the batting to combat any situation. Whether it has the bowling to win Tests remains to be seen. And with Sri Lanka's bowling in a similar situation be prepared for a high scoring series.