India vs Srilanka, Indian oil cup-2005
Date:july 30 (2005)
Dhoni's Performance in Match
Catches : 1 / Stumpings : 0
Batting: 2 runs ( 7balls), 4s: 0 / 6s: 0
Strike rate:28.57
How got Out: b Dilhara Lokuhettige
Rahul Dravid, the bedrock of dependability on which this Indian team is built, pulled out all the stops in his first match as captain in this new season, scoring a fighting half-century and then pressing hard on the field with all attacking instincts - but he still ended up on the losing side. India scored only 205, and it was simply not enough to deny Sri Lanka victory, by three wickets, playing at home at the Rangiri International Stadium in Dambulla.
Sri Lanka's batsmen made heavy weather of the run chase, losing wickets at regular intervals against some disciplined Indian bowling. Dravid realised early on that he would not win this match by restricting the Sri Lankans, and gave his front-line bowlers - Irfan Pathan and Zaheer Khan - long first spells, and it paid dividends. Pathan was particularly sharp, pitching the ball just outside the off and swinging it in, and struck first, removing Kumar Sangakkara, opening the batting in place of the injured Sanath Jayasuriya, with a curling delivery that rapped the pads in front of the stumps (19 for 1).
But it was in the first 50 overs, when they batted after winning the toss, that India lost the game. Even at Dambulla, 205 is a score you will struggle to defend. India began badly, losing Virender Sehwag and Mahendra Dhoni in quick time, both bowled playing ambitious shots against the tight bowling of Maharoof and Lokuhettige. Soon after there was more trouble as Yuvraj Singh's tortured stay at the crease ended when a mis-hit pull shot bobbed to mid-on (44 for 3).
India were in deep trouble before Muttiah Muralitharan had even gotten his hands on the ball, and Mohammad Kaif remedied that by presenting him with a catch at mid-on off Dilhara Fernando (63 for 4). Raina was set up and shot down by Muralitharan, who crowded the batsman with fielders and then sent down a perfect doosra, fast and flat, trapping him in front for a first-ball duck (64 for 5).
All along Dravid was his reliable self, watching the ball carefully, mixing abundant caution with watchful opportunism, picking up runs only when the risk of being dismissed was minimal. He compiled 54, and was well on the way to saving India's blushes when a gently floated legbreak from Chandana slipped past his pads and bowled him round the legs (122 for 6).
Once Dravid was accounted for, only a fighting innings of 38 from Venugopala Rao, and some lusty tail-end hitting, managed to push the Indian total to 205. That, as later events would show, was too few to play with.
Result:Sri Lanka won by 3 wickets
Player of Match: Sanath jayasuriya
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