In this island city of great beauty, India's fate hangs by a slender thread. The odds are stacked against Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men.
India needs to outplay Sri Lanka by a bonus point — with a run-rate that is 1.25 times more — at the Bellerive Oval on Tuesday and then hope for Australia to defeat Mahela Jayawardene's team in the last game in Melbourne on March 2.
Given the form and morale of the side, India making the finals of the Commonwealth Bank triangular ODI series appears a distant possibility.
The weather could make things even harder for India. It rained here on Monday night and a 40 per cent chance of rain has been forecast for Tuesday.
Does the team want to make a stand or is it keen on catching the early flight home? When you wear the India cap, you fight for the side as if your life depended on it.
Lacking passion
Sadly, there have been occasions in this series when some of the cricketers have not shown the kind of passion needed while playing for the country.
Nevertheless, India's best chance for the bonus point would be to insert Sri Lanka, dismiss the side between 150 and 175 and achieve the target in around 40 overs. But, this is easier said than done.
The surface here favoured the batsmen in the Sri Lanka-Australia game and it remains to be seen on what wicket the match is played.
Irrespective of the conditions, does the side have the belief for an explosive performance? If the debacle against Australia on Sunday is any indication, the answer is ‘no.'
But then, there have been some spectacular turnarounds, teams have risen from the ashes. That is the essence of sport.
Dhoni himself was surprised on Sunday night when he was told about the bonus point route against Sri Lanka. The captain believed the net run-rate factor — India is way behind here too — would settle the issue. The support staff should have passed on the right information to the skipper.
Problems aplenty
This apart, the side is beset with plenty of problems. The batting has not fired and the bowling lacks firepower. And the options are limited.
India has to change its tactics. Gautam Gambhir should open with Sachin Tendulkar — India would have a left-right combination in place — and Virender Sehwag could be moved to add some muscle to the fragile middle-order.
Both Tendulkar and Sehwag seek runs but still have the ability to alter scripts.
The youngsters in the middle-order — Virat Kohli has been an exception of sorts but his failures outweigh his successes in the ODI tri-series — have disappointed.
Bowling worries
The Indians have serious bowling worries.
A call on spearhead Zaheer Khan, recovering from a calf strain, will be taken only on the morning of the match.
Vinay Kumar is struggling with a hamstring injury and it is not clear whether Irfan Pathan, who collided with Suresh Raina while attempting a catch at SCG, will recover well enough to bowl. Praveen Kumar swung a vital game against Sri Lanka here in 2008 to put India in the CBS tri-series finals. But these are different times.
In a game where picking up wickets is critical, India would do well to include an attacking option in leg-spinner Rahul Sharma for Ravindra Jadeja.
Jadeja has neither made an impression with the bat nor the ball. The onus is on the think-tank.
In contrast, Jayawardene's men are buzzing. Sri Lanka is a versatile side which can be hard to beat. The skipper has been in rousing form at the top of the order while Tillakaratne Dilshan remains a dangerous adversary.
Big runs have so far eluded Kumar Sangakkara but he is a man for the big occasion.
And the young Dinesh Chandimal's ability to read and respond to situations has been outstanding.
Pace-bowling all-rounders Thisara Perera, Angelo Mathews and Farveez Maharoof have made the side dynamic.
Saving their best?
The under-rated Nuwan Kulasekara has moved the ball with exemplary control while the fiery Lasith Malinga could save his best for the competition's last stretch.
And left-arm spinner Rangana Herath has operated with turn and guile.
Sri Lanka is a more athletic fielding unit that India. The islanders have the edge.
The teams (from):
India: M.S. Dhoni (captain), S. Tendulkar, G. Gambhir, V. Sehwag, V. Kohli, S. Raina, Irfan Pathan, R. Ashwin, Rahul Sharma, P. Kumar, U. Yadav, Zaheer Khan, Vinay Kumar, R. Jadeja, Rohit Sharma, M. Tiwary and Parthiv Patel.
Sri Lanka: M. Jayawardene (captain), T. Dilshan, K. Sangakkara, D. Chandimal, L. Thirimanne, A. Mathews, T. Perera, F. Maharoof, N. Kulasekara, L. Malinga, R. Herath, U. Tharanga, D. Prasad and S. Senanayake.
Play starts at 8.50 a.m. (IST).
