Ishant inspires India to series-levelling win
On a pitch and in a series where the fast bowlers have only been making up the numbers, a hostile and quick Ishant Sharma helped India seal an incredible comeback
31/07Result
2nd Test, India tour of Sri Lanka at Galle, Jul 31-Aug 3 2008
-
![India]( "India")
329 & 269 -
![Sri Lanka]( "Sri Lanka")
292 & 136 (47.3 ov)
Player of the Match
31/07Result
2nd Test, India tour of Sri Lanka at Galle, Jul 31-Aug 3 2008
-
![India]( "India")
329 & 269 -
![Sri Lanka]( "Sri Lanka")
292 & 136 (47.3 ov)
Player of the Match
Day 4
Comeback doesn't surprise Kumble
Anil Kumble wore the look of a man who had just lost a match, not one who had captained India to a memorable away win at a Sri Lankan fortress
Disappointed Jayawardene hints at pace boost
Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lankan captain, blamed the batsmen for his side's defeat in Galle
Day 3
Sehwag and Gambhir wrest initiative
India managed to walk away with the honours, thanks to a special two-wicket over from Anil Kumble and fifties by Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir
Super Sehwag and cool Prasanna
Jamie Alter rewinds the Plays of the day from the third day of the second Test in Galle
'We are still in it' - Jayawardene
India may have gained the upper hand after dominating the third's day play in Galle, but Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lankan captain, believes his team is not yet out of the contest
Dravid dismissal adds familiar twist
Such has been the vicissitudes of this is Test that the third day would have been a letdown without a last-minute twist
Spinning it right
Ajantha Mendis and Harbhajan Singh came into this match with varying levels of pressure on their backs, but a t the end of a gripping second day's play, both outbowled their illustrious partners
Day 2
Harbhajan's four keeps match poised
Sri Lanka couldn't get Virender Sehwag out, but Ajantha Mendis found a wayaround him, helping Sri Lanka dismiss the others cheaply before HarbhajanSingh enacted a similar turnaround to restore the balance
Shots, drops, and spankings
Plays of the day for the second day of the Galle Test between Sri Lanka and India
Sublime Sehwag on a different plane
On a day dominated by two spinners, Mendis and Harbhajan, Sehwag batted on a different plane to keep India in the match
Day 1
Rain allowed us to regroup - Bayliss
Interruption helped to 'rethink and regroup', says Trevor Balyiss, the Sri Lanka coach
Prasanna makes amends, Dravid walks
Dileep Premachandran recaps the Plays of the day from the first day of the second Test between Sri Lanka and India in Galle
Others
Honours even despite Sehwag century
India started promisingly in their quest to exorcise the ghosts of the SSCTest but were thwarted by double-strikes from Ajantha Mendis and ChamindaVaas
India haul themselves from the precipice
India once again look like world-beaters, riding on a wave of momentum created by sensational batting from Virender Sehwag, canny bowling from Harbhajan Singh and a devastating new-ball burst from Ishant Sharma
Another look at reviews
The review system needed to be tried, but there are plenty of questions still unanswered and kinks to be worked out
High scores
Why few experiences in cricket can hold a candle to that of watching a game from the ramparts of the Galle Fort
Ishant runs on ubuntu
Nothing summarised India's spirit more than Ishant Sharma, to some an unlikely hero in India's 170-run, series-leveling win against Sri Lanka in Galle
Sehwag decodes Mendis mystery
Sehwag's response to a question regarding his approach after his maverick innings was deadpan. "How can I stop the way I've played?" he said
Sri Lanka weak at the top
Sri Lanka's opening batsmen failed to provide starts in three innings and their new-ball bowlers could not prevent Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir from rapidly building a platform
Fightback started with Kumble - Kirsten
India coach believes big challenge would be to keep the momentum in the third Test
Little time but lots of action
A truncated first day's play had more than its share of action and ended with the honours tantalisingly even
Gambhir proves Test credentials
On this tour Gambhir has been India's most consistent batsman and key to that has been tackling Murali and Ajantha Mendis
There's a lot of resilience in this team - Kumble
Anil Kumble is a man of few words when it comes to addressing the media before, during and after a match but his crisp verdict that India need to win in Galle at any cost was the most forthright he's been this series