Dravid, Yuvraj anchor India after early collapse

When the Indian scorecard read 32/4 after eight overs, it looked as if Team India were set to repeat the history. The last time they played here in 2008, India were skittled out for 76 by Graeme Smith and company. However, Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh steadied the Indian ship, steering India to 105/4 at lunch.

Welegedara, playing only in his second Test, caused a flutter in the Indian camp, as he removed the top three batsmen with 31 on the board. © AFP

The two fast bowlers, Chanaka Welegedara and Dammika Prasad took advantage of the initial movement off the track by pitching the ball up. While Welegedara was spot on with his line, Prasad struggled initially, wavering down the leg-side far too often.

Welegedara, playing only in his second Test, caused a flutter in the Indian camp, as he removed the top three batsmen with 31 on the board. First, he dismissed Gautam Gambhir, who played a poor shot, trying to push the ball to the off-side and only managed an inside edge that dragged the ball to the stumps. Virender Sehwag followed soon, caught plumb in front of the wickets off a beauty that came in sharply.

The deafening roar in the stadium that welcomed Sachin Tendulkar, as he walked out to bat for the first time in his third decade in international cricket, soon transformed into a lull as the maestro was cleaned up by Welegedara after hitting a glorious cover-drive for four.

Prasad too joined the party, as he induced another inside edge off the bat on to the stumps. This time, VVS Laxman was the victim. The celebrated Indian batting line-up was in tatters at 32/4.

Amidst all the tentativeness and lack of focus from all other batsmen, Rahul Dravid was one man who looked in great touch. With a string of good knocks in the Ranji Trophy under his belt, Dravid batted without the slightest hint of rustiness of not having played international cricket for a while.

Dravid, along with Yuvraj Singh withered the storm that the Lankan bowlers had whipped up, with an unbeaten stand of 73 for the fifth wicket. © AFP

Dravid, along with Yuvraj Singh withered the storm that the Lankan bowlers had whipped up, with an unbeaten stand of 73 for the fifth wicket. Yuvraj exuded confidence and batted with a commendable temperament. Both batsmen maintained a run-rate of over four an over without taking any undue risks. They executed some beautiful shots to pick up 11 boundaries and a six (by Dravid) between them.

Spin was introduced as early as expected, when Sangakkara brought on Muralitharan in the 15th over. Along with Rangana Herath, Murali too was played quite comfortably by the Dravid-Yuvraj duo as the first-day pitch didn’t offer much turn. Dravid even stepped out and hit Herath for a six over his head, while Yuvraj played a powerful straight-drive to the wily Muralitharan.

Dammika Prasad was brought back in the action and he began his new spell with a searing bouncer at 140kph that surprised Yuvraj Singh as it ricochet to the back of his helmet after hitting his shoulder. This was only one of the two bouncers bowled by the Lankan bowlers, who otherwise reaped all their success with just sticking to their discipline.