India vs Sri Lanka 1st T20 Live - Preview

Watch the 1st T20 International match between India v Sri Lanka at Nagpur on 8th December 2009. At least when Tillakaratne Dilshan or Sehwag has just walked out to open an innings. Both the captains seemed to look for excuses to set defensive fields, generally lacked imagination, and - apart from Sreesanth - fielding sides failed to pull something special out of the hat. There were full sessions when Mahela Jayawardene batted with a deep point in place, and didn't hit a single ball in that direction.

In 2008 Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis took 47 wickets between them. This time they managed 11. Mendis played only one game, and was found to not be up to scratch. Murali has never looked this mortal. At times it seemed Sehwag read the doosras not from the hand, but from the bowler's mind. Murali's talking of retirement was reminiscent of another offspinner's career that Sehwag ended: Saqlain Mushtaq.