Date: July 21st, 2012.
Location: Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Hambantota, Sri Lanka.
Event: 1st ODI, India vs Sri Lanka.
Siddanth Deva stepped onto the outfield of the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium, the stiff wind of Hambantota immediately biting through his blue training jersey.
The Indian team had arrived in Sri Lanka for a 5-match ODI series. It was their first assignment since the Asia Cup triumph. The playing XI was locked in, featuring a formidable mix of pace, spin, and destructive batting.
Indian Playing XI: Rohit Sharma, Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli, Siddanth Deva (vc), Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni (c/wk), Irfan Pathan, R. Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, Pragyan Ojha, Umesh Yadav.
MS Dhoni walked over, tossing a white Kookaburra ball from hand to hand. "Ankle holding up, Sid?"
"100 percent, Skipper," Deva grinned, stretching his shoulders.
"Good," Dhoni nodded toward the pitch. "Because Mahela just won the toss. We are batting first. The wind here is crazy; it will help the seamers early on. Tell Viru to be careful for the first three overs."
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Sri Lanka's premier pacer, Lasith Malinga, started proceedings, aiming to exploit the coastal breeze. However, Virender Sehwag and Rohit Sharma navigated the early threat carefully.
Over 4.2: Angelo Mathews to Rohit Sharma
Mathews bowled a fraction short outside off. Rohit freed his arms and punched it through the covers.
[Commentary - Russell Arnold]:"Glorious! Simply glorious from Rohit Sharma! He waits for it and punches it off the back foot through the covers for the first boundary of the afternoon!"(FOUR)
Over 6.4: Thisara Perera to Rohit
Perera got one to angle into the pads. Rohit tried to flick but closed the face early, taking a leading edge.
The ball popped up to short mid-wicket where Tillakaratne Dilshan took a simple catch.
[Commentary - Ravi Shastri]:"Edged and taken! Perera strikes in his first over! Rohit Sharma was looking good, but the extra bounce deceives him. A soft dismissal for 15. India 32 for 1!"
WICKET (Rohit Sharma 15).
Virat Kohli walked in at No. 3. What followed was a magnificent 233-run partnership between Kohli and Sehwag. Sehwag was his destructive best, while Kohli played the anchor role to perfection, navigating the middle overs with ease.
Over 22.3: Rangana Herath to Sehwag
Herath tossed it up. Sehwag went down on one knee and slog-swept it over deep mid-wicket.
[Commentary - Sunil Gavaskar]:"Into the crowd! That is vintage Sehwag! He cares nothing for the flight or the spin; he just sees the ball and hits it a mile!"(SIX)
Kohli and Sehwag brought up their respective centuries, treating the Sri Lankan attack with absolute disdain. The score rocketed past 250 in the 44th over.
Over 44.1: Nuwan Kulasekara to Sehwag
Sehwag unluckily fell for 96, run out at the non-striker's end while looking for a quick single after a brilliant direct hit from Dinesh Chandimal.
[Commentary - Arnold]:"Oh, what a tragedy! Sehwag is run out on 96! A brilliant piece of fielding by Chandimal, and the veteran misses out on a well-deserved century!"
WICKET (Sehwag 96).
Score: 265/2 in 44.1 overs.
With India two down, Siddanth Deva walked out to the middle at No. 4.
He took guard against Malinga.
Over 45.3: Lasith Malinga to Deva
Malinga missed the blockhole by an inch, delivering a low full toss.
Deva stepped across his stumps and flicked his wrists, launching the ball over deep square leg.
[Commentary - Gavaskar]:"WHAT A SHOT! First ball he faces from Malinga, and he deposits it into the stands with a mere flick of the wrists!"(SIX)
Kohli, having played a masterful anchor role, finally holed out to deep cover off Nuwan Kulasekara in the 47th over.
[Commentary - Shastri]:"Caught in the deep! Kulasekara rolls his fingers over it, and Kohli, trying to accelerate, finds the man on the boundary! A fabulous 106 comes to an end!"
WICKET (Kohli 106).Score: 290/3.
Over 48.5: Nuwan Kulasekara to Deva
Kulasekara attempted a wide yorker. Deva anticipated it, shuffled across, and ramped it over short fine leg.
[Commentary - Shastri]:"Audacious! The ramp shot makes an appearance! The bowler is left scratching his head as the ball races away to the boundary!"(FOUR)
Deva didn't stop. He pushed the score past 300, remaining unbeaten on a blistering 35 off just 10 balls. Suresh Raina (10) and MS Dhoni (12) chipped in briefly before falling in the final over to Malinga.
[Commentary - Gavaskar]:"Bowled him! Malinga gets Raina with a textbook yorker! And the very next ball, Dhoni holes out to long-on! Two wickets to finish the innings!"
WICKETS (Raina 10, Dhoni 12).
India finished on 314/5.
Target: 315.
Sri Lanka's reply was anchored by Kumar Sangakkara, who played a lone, fighting hand of 73. However, the Indian bowlers operated as a cohesive unit.
Over 8.2: Zaheer Khan to Upul Tharanga
Zaheer bowled a beautiful outswinger. Tharanga prodded.
[Commentary - Shastri]:"Edged and taken at first slip! Zaheer Khan with the early breakthrough! The classic left-armer's dismissal! Tharanga goes for 11."
WICKET (Tharanga 11).
Over 15.4: Irfan Pathan to Tillakaratne Dilshan
Irfan angled the ball in, catching Dilshan dead in front of the stumps.
[Commentary - Arnold]:"Plumb! Irfan Pathan strikes! Dilshan tried to work it leg side but missed it completely. A huge blow for Sri Lanka! Gone for 50!"
WICKET (Dilshan 50).
Deva was brought into the attack in the middle overs. His pace was up to 145 kmph, testing the middle order.
Over 32.1: Siddanth Deva to Kumar Sangakkara
Deva bowled a sharp, rising bouncer. Sangakkara tried to hook but got a top edge.
[Commentary - Gavaskar]:"In the air... and safely taken by MS Dhoni! Deva gets the big fish! Sangakkara's resistance ends at 73! That should be the match for India right there!"
WICKET (Sangakkara 73).
Thisara Perera threatened briefly with a quickfire 44, hitting Ojha for two massive sixes.
[Commentary - Shastri]:"BANG! Perera launches Ojha into the stands! And another one! He is keeping the Sri Lankan hopes flickering!"(SIX, SIX)
But Deva returned to clean up Perera with a perfect yorker.
[Commentary - Arnold]:"Timber! The middle stump is out of the ground! Siddanth Deva fires in a 148 kmph yorker, and Perera has no answer! Brilliant death bowling!"
WICKET (Perera 44).
Sri Lanka could only manage 293/9 in their 50 overs.
Result: India won by 21 runs.
Deva: 35* (15) and 2/45 (8 overs)
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Date: July 24th, 2012.
Location: Hambantota.
The wind at Hambantota was even fiercer for the second ODI. Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat, eager to set a target on a pitch that looked slightly drier.
The Sri Lankan Assault:
Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga provided a solid start, adding 80 runs for the first wicket. Dilshan was particularly aggressive against Umesh Yadav.
Over 12.3: Umesh Yadav to Dilshan
[Commentary - Shastri]:"Smashed! Dilshan steps out and clobbers Yadav over mid-wicket for a one-bounce four! He is taking the attack to the young Indian pacer!"(FOUR)
Zaheer Khan finally broke the stand, inducing an edge from Tharanga.
[Commentary - Gavaskar]:"Caught behind! Zaheer finds the edge! Tharanga departs, and India has their first opening!"
WICKET (Tharanga 32).
However, Angelo Mathews played the innings of his life. He stabilized the middle order with a classy 60, finding the boundary with regularity.
Over 35.2: Pragyan Ojha to Mathews
[Commentary - Arnold]:"Beautiful use of the feet! Mathews gets to the pitch of the ball and lofts it gracefully over long-off for a maximum!"(SIX)
In the death overs, Thisara Perera wreaked havoc, smashing 45 off just 25 balls.
Deva, despite taking two wickets in his spell, was uncharacteristically expensive at the death, leaking 18 runs in the 48th over as Perera swung wildly with the wind.
Over 48.4: Deva to Perera
[Commentary - Shastri]:"Over mid-wicket it goes! Perera uses the fierce crosswind to his advantage, and the ball sails over the ropes! Sri Lanka are finishing with a massive flourish!"(SIX)
Sri Lanka finished on 288/8.
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Chasing 289, India walked into a buzzsaw named Lasith Malinga.
Over 1.2: Malinga to Sehwag
Malinga hurled a fast, swinging yorker right at the base of the off-stump. Sehwag's feet went nowhere.
[Commentary - Arnold]:"BOWLED HIM! Malinga at his absolute best! The toe-crusher finds its mark, and Virender Sehwag is gone for a duck! Sri Lanka draw first blood early!"
WICKET (Sehwag 0).
India: 0/1. Virat Kohli walked in at No. 3.
Over 2.5: Kulasekara to Rohit Sharma
Rohit tried to drive a ball that held up on the pitch.
[Commentary - Gavaskar]:"Chipped in the air... and caught at short cover! Rohit Sharma falls softly! Kulasekara's lack of pace does the trick! India are in serious trouble at 10 for 2!"
WICKET (Rohit Sharma 4).
India: 10/2.
With India two down, Siddanth Deva walked out to the crease at No. 4. The responsibility fell on him and Kohli to resurrect the chase.
Over 5.1: Malinga to Kohli
Kohli, trying to relieve the mounting pressure, slashed hard at a wide delivery from Malinga.
[Commentary - Shastri]:"Edged and taken by Sangakkara! Kohli goes for 12! The Indian top order has been decimated in the first six overs! Malinga is breathing fire!"
WICKET (Kohli 12).
India: 35/3.
Suresh Raina joined Deva. Deva dialed back his aggression, and tried to survive the remainder of Malinga's devastating opening burst.
They built a partnership of 85 runs. Deva looked majestic when he finally decided to attack the spinners.
Over 22.4: Rangana Herath to Deva
[Commentary - Arnold]:"Swept, and swept hard! Deva gets down on one knee and dispatches Herath to the square leg boundary! He brings up his fifty with that shot!"(FOUR)
Over 28.1: Angelo Mathews to Raina
Raina tried to pull a ball that didn't bounce enough.
[Commentary - Gavaskar]:"Dragged on! Raina chops it onto his stumps! Mathews breaks the dangerous partnership! Raina goes for 35, and India's hopes take a massive hit!"
WICKET (Raina 35).
Over 35.3: Angelo Mathews to Deva
[Commentary - Shastri]:"He goes for the big shot! Has he got enough of it? No! Caught in the deep by Perera! Siddanth Deva's resistance ends at 65! The asking rate was just too high. India are 145 for 5."
WICKET (Deva 65).
MS Dhoni (45) and Irfan Pathan (30) battled valiantly, hitting a few boundaries late in the innings.
Over 42.1: Malinga to Dhoni
[Commentary - Arnold]:"Helicopter shot! Dhoni gets hold of one! That has gone miles over mid-wicket!"(SIX)
But it was too little, too late. India were bowled out for 238 in 47.4 overs.
Result: Sri Lanka won by 50 runs.
Series: Tied 1-1.
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Date: July 28th, 2012.
Location: R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.
Series Status: Tied 1-1.
The series moved to the capital. The Premadasa pitch was traditionally slow, aiding the spinners, but today it looked surprisingly hard and true. The atmosphere was electric; a packed house of 35,000 Sri Lankan fans beating drums and blowing horns.
Mahela Jayawardene spun the coin. MS Dhoni called Heads.
It was Heads.
Dhoni: "We will bowl first. The pitch is hard, but it might get better to bat on under the lights. We back our chasing ability."
Sri Lanka's veterans, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, put on a clinic. After losing Dilshan early to Zaheer Khan, the two legends controlled the tempo of the innings with absolute mastery.
Over 10.4: Zaheer Khan to Dilshan
[Commentary - Shastri]:"In the air... and safely pouched by Ashwin at third man! Dilshan tried to guide it over the slips but failed to get the elevation! Zaheer strikes!"
WICKET (Dilshan 16).
Sangakkara and Jayawardene rotated the strike flawlessly, nullifying the threat of Ashwin and Ojha.
Over 25.2: Pragyan Ojha to Sangakkara
[Commentary - Gavaskar]:"Beautifully executed! Sangakkara brings out the reverse sweep against Ojha and gets a boundary! He brings up his fifty in fine style!"(FOUR)
Over 30.5: R. Ashwin to Jayawardene
[Commentary - Arnold]:"Driven inside-out! That is the class of Mahela! He opens his shoulders and finds the gap at cover for four!"(FOUR)
Deva bowled his quota of 10 overs, focusing on tight lengths. He was economical but struggled to find a breakthrough until the 42nd over.
Over 41.3: Siddanth Deva to Jayawardene
Deva bowled a slower bouncer. Mahela went for the pull but mistimed it, hitting it straight to deep mid-wicket.
[Commentary - Shastri]:"Taken in the deep! Deva finally breaks the 121-run stand! He deceives Jayawardene with the slower bouncer, and Rohit Sharma takes a comfortable catch! A crucial wicket for India!"
WICKET (Jayawardene 65).
Sangakkara fell shortly after for 73, run out by a brilliant direct hit from Virat Kohli.
[Commentary - Gavaskar]:"BULLSEYE! Virat Kohli with a spectacular throw from point! Sangakkara is short of his crease! What a piece of fielding!"
WICKET (Sangakkara Run Out 73).
However, Angelo Mathews provided the late fireworks once again, scoring an unbeaten 55* off 35 balls, launching Irfan Pathan and Umesh Yadav into the stands.
Over 48.2: Umesh Yadav to Mathews
[Commentary - Arnold]:"Massive! Mathews gets hold of the length ball and sends it soaring over the long-on boundary for a huge six! Sri Lanka finishing very strongly!"(SIX)
Sri Lanka posted a challenging 286/5.
Deva Figures: 10-0-45-1.
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Target: 287.
Required Run Rate: 5.74.
Chasing 287 at Premadasa under lights against Malinga, Herath, and Kulasekara was a daunting task. India needed their top order to fire.
Over 4.2: Lasith Malinga to Virender Sehwag
Sehwag had started positively, hitting three quick boundaries. Malinga bowled a slower dipping yorker. Sehwag tried to flick it but played all over it.
[Commentary - Shastri]:"PLUMB! Trapped right in front! Malinga's slower yorker does the trick again! Sehwag departs for 15, and the crowd finds its voice!"
WICKET (Sehwag 15).
India: 20/1. Virat Kohli walked in at No. 3.
Over 8.5: Angelo Mathews to Rohit Sharma
Rohit (20) looked fluent until he tried to pull a ball that wasn't quite short enough.
[Commentary - Arnold]:"Top edge! And it's taken easily by the keeper! Mathews gets the breakthrough! Rohit Sharma perishes trying to force the pace, and India are 38 for 2!"
WICKET (Rohit 20).
Virat Kohli and Siddanth Deva united at the crease. The score was 38/2. With two wickets down, the Vice-Captain assumed his designated No. 4 spot. The required rate was climbing past 6.
Kohli took the attack to the bowlers initially, looking to assert dominance.
Over 15.3: Thisara Perera to Kohli
[Commentary - Gavaskar]:"Flicked away beautifully! Kohli uses his wrists to send Perera to the mid-wicket boundary! He is looking in supreme touch!"(FOUR)
But Sri Lanka struck back.
Over 21.4: Rangana Herath to Kohli
Herath bowled a flat, darting delivery. Kohli went back to cut, but the ball skidded on, beating the bat and trapping him LBW.
[Commentary - Shastri]:"Given! The umpire raises the finger! Kohli is distraught, he thinks he got an edge, but the umpire says no! A massive, massive wicket for Sri Lanka! Herath traps the danger man for 38! India 100 for 3!"
WICKET (Kohli 38).
Score: 100/3.
Overs: 21.4.
Equation: 187 runs needed off 170 balls.
Suresh Raina walked in to join his Vice-Captain. The pressure was immense.
Deva walked up to Raina. "Pace the innings, Suresh. Don't worry about the required rate right now. Let's just bat till the 40th over without losing a wicket. I'll take care of the rest."
What followed was a partnership of sheer tactical brilliance. Deva assumed total control of the chase. He manipulated the field, running hard twos on the large Premadasa outfield, and neutralized Herath's threat by playing with the spin.
Over 28.2: Jeevan Mendis to Deva
Mendis dropped it short. Deva rocked back and cut it powerfully past point.
[Commentary - Arnold]:"Cut away powerfully! Deva reaches his fifty with a boundary! A very composed and mature innings so far, but he knows the job is only half done."(FOUR)
Raina, feeding off Deva's calmness, found his own rhythm.
Over 35.4: Thisara Perera to Raina
[Commentary - Gavaskar]:"Smashed down the ground! Raina gives himself room and hits it straight over the bowler's head for a boundary! The partnership is looking very threatening now!"(FOUR)
Over 40: India 205/3.
Equation: 82 runs needed off 60 balls.
Deva decided it was time to change gears.
Over 42.1: Nuwan Kulasekara to Deva
Kulasekara bowled a length ball. Deva shuffled across and scooped it over fine leg.
[Commentary - Shastri]:"Oh, what a shot! He shuffles across and ramps it over the keeper's head! Pure cheek and pure class! Deva is shifting gears!"(FOUR)
Over 42.4: Kulasekara to Deva
Deva stepped out and lofted him over extra cover.
[Commentary - Arnold]:"Inside out! Brilliant execution! He clears the infield and the ball races to the boundary! The required rate is tumbling down!"(FOUR)
Raina reached a brilliant half-century before eventually falling in the 46th over, trying to hit Malinga over mid-wicket.
[Commentary - Gavaskar]:"Bowled him! Malinga finally breaks the stand! Raina goes for a fantastic 65, missing the yorker! But has he done enough? India needs 28 from 24 balls."
WICKET (Raina 65).
MS Dhoni walked in. The finishing duo was back together.
Over 48.3: Lasith Malinga to Deva
Deva was on 96. Malinga bowled a searing 145 kmph yorker.
Deva jammed his bat down, opening the face at the last millisecond to squeeze it past point. It raced away to the boundary.
[Commentary - Ravi Shastri]:"SQUEEZED AWAY FOR FOUR! AND THAT IS A MAGNIFICENT CENTURY FOR SIDDANTH DEVA! What a run chase this has been! He walked in at 38 for 2, anchored the innings, and is now finishing it in style! 100 off 102 balls! The Indian dressing room is on its feet!"(FOUR)
Deva took off his helmet and raised his bat, soaking in the applause. He pointed to his ankle, a silent message to the dugout: I am fully back.
The match was sealed in the 50th over.
Over 49.2: Angelo Mathews to MS Dhoni
Dhoni needed 4 to win. He stepped out and smashed a length ball over long-on.
[Commentary - Arnold]:"BANG! Dhoni finishes it off in his trademark style! A massive six into the crowd! India wins by 6 wickets and takes a 2-1 lead in the series! What a phenomenal chase led by the Vice-Captain!"(SIX)
Final Score: India 288/4 (49.2 Overs).
Siddanth Deva: 104* (108 balls).
Suresh Raina: 65 (71 balls).
MS Dhoni: 31* (15 balls).
As Deva walked off the field alongside Dhoni, the cameras zoomed in on his face. The sweat, the dirt, the sheer exhaustion—it was all masked by a look of absolute triumph.
The series was 2-1. The Devil was back, and he was hungry for more.