With the P Sara wicket offering spin and bounce, Harbhajan's absence will hurt India today
Harbhajan Singh's leave of absence through illness for this third Test at P Sara Oval could yet become a seriously unfortunate harbinger for India and the captain M S Dhoni.
For a start, on a pitch that is increasingly taking spin and with Harbhajan missing,u00a0 Dhoni losing the toss yet again is not just another downside moment of this 2010 tour of Sri Lanka. It has become a standing joke within the team on their Emerald Isle visit.u00a0
After all, getting the call wrong eight Tests in succession suggests the luck needed to turn this tour around and square the series is not so much a matter of being clairvoyant as changing the call sign.
In the case of Harbhajan, however, rested from the tri-series in Dambulla starting next week, his absence through flu suggests he was not monitored too carefully before this tour. And this after the success of the team in the Asia Cup where he looked off-colour and lost his ability to trouble batsmen.
He missed the practice game at Colts Cricket Club and failed both in Galle and in the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club, where he has struggled to live up to his reputation. Reporting ill meant a shift in gameplan ideas as replacement Amit Mishra's leg-spin has rarely troubled Sri Lanka's batsmen who batted with more circumspection against the seam and swing bowling on offer.
This pitch, with bounce that has excited the Hyderabad left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, is one where a result is guaranteed, unless it rains non-stop for three days. It is thought to be the best in the country for a good game of Test cricket; unlike the flat earth manufactured run factory at the SSC, the last five games at P Sara Oval have earned Sri Lanka success. It is why Harbhajan is the missing link in the India bowling attack for this game.
Ojha's 2/78 from 26 overs explained just why Harbhajan's untimely illness would have given Dhoni that extra weapon at a time India are desperate to achieve a face-saving victory. There was none of the tantalising skills that you find from Mishra and his presence explains India's problem in trying to find an Anil Kumble replacement.
At the end of Day One, a first innings total of 293 for four gave Sri Lanka the edge.
