His bowlers subjected to a fearful pounding by India’s batsmen at Green Park, Sri Lanka’s Australia-born coach hoped the surface here would not deteriorate and make life difficult for his own batsmen.
“It was a very tough day for us, very tough to stop the flow of runs,” Bayliss said on Tuesday evening. “Even if you were a little bit off line or a fraction short, the batsmen would rock back and make it shorter. There wasn’t much turn and the wicket is slow. Hopefully, it will stay like that for the next few days when we bat.”
Sri Lanka brought in Ajantha Mendis to replace an injured Dammika Prasad, making for a three-pronged spin attack that leaked runs. “Hindsight is a great thing, isn’t it?” Bayliss observed. “Maybe we could have played the extra quick considering the two pace bowlers were our best bowlers today. Most people would think this track was going to break up early, that’s why we made that decision to play another spinner.
“There wasn’t much between the three spinners,” said Bayliss when asked if Ajantha Mendis had been a disappointment. “They were all very similar. To pick one of them would be unfair. It was difficult for all three spinners but they stuck at it and kept trying things. Today wasn’t their day.”
Bayliss pointed out that there was little Sri Lanka could have done with Virender Sehwag in such belligerent mood. “They were trying different field placings and different lines. I don’t think we could have tried anything more with Sehwag in that type of mood. In the face of that kind of onslaught, anyone could feel the pressure to put the ball on the right spot. It would have been nice to take that catch (off Sehwag), that could have changed the complexion of the game.”
