India look to decode Murali, Mendis

With the famed Indian batting order's reputation in tatters, a dejected India captain Anil Kumble on Saturday said his side will have to find ways to take on the Lankan spin duo of Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis if they have to come back in the second Test.

Muralitharan and debutant Mendis shared 19 wickets between them to hand the Indians a humiliating innings and 239 run defeat in the first Test here.

"We were not good enough against the spinners. We just capitulated (to them). We have made comebacks in the past. It is just a matter of getting together, but we have to look at the way of tackling both Murali and Mendis," Kumble said at the post-match press conference.

Kumble rued the dropped catches early in the Lankan first innings which had contributed to the hosts' mammoth 600 for six which made it a Herculean task for the famed Indian batting order to save the match.

"Obviously 600 on the board did not help us. We had a good opportunity in the beginning when they were about 100 for 2. We dropped a few catches. Warnapura was dropped, Mahela Jayawardene was dropped a couple of times, though it's tough to bowl first on a wicket which is dry at the start," he said.

"Nothing went right for us in the match. Other than planning, it is important to do well in fielding," he added.

The Indian captain also rued on a few dismissals which did not go his team's way when reviewed by the experimental referral system.

"A few dismissals were obviously negated under the referral system. The new system is something that we have to take forward. It definitely requires a review but it is too early to say."

Kumble denied his team was under prepared for the Sri Lankan tour and said a lot of planning had gone through ahead of the visit.

"We have people who have played Test cricket for more than 15 or 20 years. You can't find a better experience batting line up. We hope to cope with the spin in second Test."

Asked if India paid the price for not focusing on Ajantha Mendis, Kumble said, "Murali and Chaminda Vaas are probably the bowlers we were looking for. Nothing has changed and obviously he (Murali) is the champion bowler."

An elated Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene was a bit surprised by the collapse of the Indian batting and said he did not expect the victory would come so soon on the fourth day.

"When you see that (Indian) batting line up you would not expect them to buckle and (expect them to) give you a fight. That is a surprising factor. I am sure they will come back strongly at us," he said.

The home captain said though they will celebrate their victory but "can't stop working hard and have to try and maintain standards".

'Mystery' spinner Mendis said he had hoped to do well in the debut match but did not expect to take so many wickets.

"The senior players guided me," he said.

Muralitharan said if Mendis keeps his calm and go on learning he would get a lot of wickets in international cricket.

The champion off-spinner said the umpiring referral system was helpful for cricket as there could be "no more excuses" (for defeats).

There are times when it helps to look back and analyse exactly what went wrong in a game. But in situations like this, where everything possible went wrong, it may be prudent to just consign the past to history and look forward.

Anil Kumble tried to do that, asserting that there was nothing fundamentally wrong with the team.

“There is no need to look at a change in technique. No other line up is more technically equipped,” he said.

“They are players who have played for more than 15 years and have more than 100 Tests. You can’t get a more experienced line up than this. It is important for the bowlers to also put their hands up.”

At the same time Kumble conceded that his team had been comprehensively outplayed in all departments and that plenty of work awaited them.

“We need to work all three departments of the game,” said Kumble. “We dropped a few catches. Zaheer got a wicket off a no-ball. We had to bowl well and also ensure we held the chances that came our way.”

While India played well below par, Sri Lanka certainly did all they could to win, and Kumble did not shy from giving them credit.

“They bowled exceptionally well. It was never going to be easy after they had 600 on the board,” he said.

“Avoiding the follow-on was always going to be tough. The wicket was not really helping spin but once you bat like we did in the first innings, it was going to be tough. It was an exceptional bowling performance from Mendis and Murali.”

Kumble re-emphasised that it was Murali who posed the biggest threat, and not Mendis, despite his eight wickets.

“We did not concentrate only on Mendis. I did mention before the match that Murali and Vaas are the important bowlers and nothing has changed,” said Kumble.

“It was only that we are asked more about Mendis in media conferences. Probably the focus was on him but we always knew Murali and Vaas were the ones. Murali is a champion bowler.”

When asked what needed to be done ahead of the next Test, Kumble said that it was not as though the team did not have its plans in place for this Test, adding, “We have come back well in the past and it is the same them that has brought some wonderful results. I am confident we will come back.

“When things don’t go our way people think there is no plan in place.

“It is the same process. Obviously we need to look at our strategy in handling Murali and Mendis. We have to be a little more positive.”