Can Dhoni decode Mendis mystery?

Colombo, Aug. 13: It’s not often that Test series are fought in as exciting a manner as the one that we witnessed. Having said that, it’s not often that one man changes the course of a series in the manner Ajantha Mendis did. It’s been a while since a spinner of such class and conviction contrived to put the batsmen in a spin of web. Just one series old and Mendis is touted as the next big thing to happen to cricket; the bowler himself is a shy, soft-spoken person, so much so that he needs his captain at hand while addressing the world media. More introvert cricketers have come and gone; with passage of time, Mendis will come out of his shell and face the world as a bright and brash cricketer. Until such time, he would prefer to remain in the relative anonymity of his home, family and friends and of course, his beloved team. Much has been said about Mendis since he bamboozled India in the Asia Cup final with astonishing figures of six for 13. A lesser person would have keeled over in the face of intense scrutiny and the Lankans in general and skipper Mahela Jayawardene in particular, would have had a sense of déjà vu about their second-most famous spinner. Not since Harbhajan Singh trapped the all-conquering Aussies with 32 wickets in a three-match series in 2001 has a spinner shaken the cricketing world by its roots. Though Harbhajan hasn’t been able to replicate the feat in the ensuing seven years, the sardar of spin is often taken back to those memories. So will it be for Mendis. Twenty-six wickets in a series is something that any bowler would give his eye-teeth for, to get it in a debut series, well, that is stuff of folklore. Mendis did it and for sure he may pick up many more in his yet fledgling career, but 26 wickets isn’t going to happen every day. The Lankans may not boast of a cricketing history like us Indians, but they sure know a match-winner when they see one. Their most famous spinner, Muttiah Muralitharan faced intense scrutiny following allegations of throwing years ago in a tour of Australia back in 1995-96. Their then captain, an astute Arjuna Ranatunga threw his weight behind the bowler and twelve years down the line, the Lankans find the cricketing world’s glare on them all over again. Taking a leaf out of Ranatunga’s book, Jayawardena has shielded Mendis admirably knowing that too much pressure on the mystery spinner will do him more harm than good. But Test cricket is passé, at least for the next couple of months and until then it’s time for the one-day format. Though Mendis befuddled the Indians in the Asia Cup in Pakistan, they will be a wiser lot when they face him this time around. Some of the returning Test stars would sure have passed on useful tips and the new lot who flew in on Wednesday will realise the task ahead of them. Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh, two of the new arrivals, will be the first to admit that thwarting Mendis’ threat will go a long way in setting up the five-match series for the visitors. Not that the Lankans are a one-man army. It’s not often that Muralitharan is out-bowled in a series and the spinner, who bagged 21 wickets in the three-match series admitted that Mendis had outperformed him. Coming from a classy spinner and someone at the top of the heap with 700-plus sticks, it’s indeed fulsome praise. But the master knows that the journey has just begun for the apprentice. Will one man change the course of the one-day series as well? Only time will tell. But the Indians are sure a furrowed lot.