India levels series through Very Very Special innings

India's fourth highest succesful chase in Test was witnessed today, with VVS Laxman cracking a fighting unbeaten 103 as India relied on their experienced batsmen to pull off a five-wicket win in the third and final cricket Test against Sri Lanka to level the series 1-1 in Colombo on Saturday.

As mentioned in my blog yesterday, Indians did 2 things

1. Hold one end up and Sachin Tendulkar did that in the 1st session.
2. Score as many singles as possible by playing positive cricket. Laxman scored only 10 boundaries and his knock had lots of twos and threes, thanks to Sehwag's better running between the wicket (Sehwag was a by-runner for Laxman)

With support from Sachin Tendulkar (54), sharing a 109 run partnership and later with Suresh Raina, an unbeaten 87 run partnership, VVS Laxman battled the pressure as well as an injured back in a tense chase and,  countered the probing Suraj Randiv to reach his 16th century and seal a memorable win.

With Sehwag falling for a duck and Dravid cracked early too. Hopes were high on Tendulkar's contribution and his innings was very vital but he too fell. The task fell on Laxman and he rose to the occasion. What a serene knock. Raina played an attractive hand to hasten the end. And India have leveled the series. One boring Test at SSC was sandwiched between two result games. Not bad at all. Samaraweera and Laxman have really sparkled here in the second innings of the final Test.
Tendulkar was the more cautious of the two veteran right-handers taking 106 deliveries to reach his 55th Test half century. He didn't celebrate much on reaching the milestone but the Indian dressing room was up in applause for another of the iconic batsman's match-winning contributions. Tendulkar had his share of luck in the early in the innings when he was dropped by Tillakaratne Dilshan at short leg while trying to push a Randiv turner. Tendulkar was then on 18.

Tendulkar was dismissed when Randiv flighted one outside the leg stump and the Indian, attempting a sweep shot, ended up gloving one to wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene. Tendulkar's contribution to the win ended at 54 which came off 122 balls and included three fours.

But the ever-dependable Laxman ensured that his illustrious partner's dismissal did not trigger the kind of dreadful collapses that have cost India in the past. The stylish Hyderabadi scored freely and his fifty, which came while Tendulkar was there at the other end, came off just 81 balls in the post-lunch session. Joined by the in-form Raina, who scored a century on debut in the drawn second Test, Laxman ensured that the boundaries kept coming for India at regular intervals and he alone collected 12 of them.

India can feel releived and proud of its acheivements. Its second string bowlers bowled the SL batsmen twice. As regards SL is concerned, their second innings batting cost them the match. This is the first defeat for Sri Lanka at P Sara since August 1994.