Yuvraj warms up in style

Colombo, Aug. 15: For someone used to revelling on the big stage, it’s been a while since Yuvraj Singh came up with such a calculated assault. Not since his hundred against Australia in Hyderabad last October has Yuvraj fired the imagination as he did on Friday.

True, it was just a practice game but the left-hander, smarting under the fact that he was dropped for the Test series, chose to take his anger out with the bat.

For a while now Yuvraj’s prowess has been conspicuous by its absence; a little over 10 months after the ton against the Aussies in what was a losing cause, the left-hander put on a majestic display at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium. Pity, that it was just a warm-up fixture in an almost empty stadium.

The Sri Lankan XI led by Chamara Kapugedara fielded a decent attack but the manner in which Yuvraj tore into them must have sent a shiver down Mahela Jayawardena’s spine.

We could dismiss it as a one-off in a not-so-serious game but as far as Yuvraj was concerned there was nothing unofficial about this business. Having spent the last five weeks or so at home while the Test team battled it out in the three-match series, Yuvraj, it was apparent, was itching for action.

What could have been a meaningless match turned highly entertaining as Yuvraj blazed away to 172 from a mere 121 deliveries. Thirteen sixes and eight boundaries thudded off Yuvraj’s willow as the park shrank to a mere playground for the rampaging Indian.

Ranged against this awesome display, it wasn’t surprising that Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s Indians piled up a huge 342/5 in 50 overs upon winning the toss.

As it transpired, the target proved way beyond the Lankan XI, and the hosts despite two neat cameos from the discarded Upul Tharanga (50, 58b) and Jehan Mubarak (60, 74b), were restricted to 250/6 to hand the Indians a 92-run victory.

With Virender Sehwag getting a break and Praveen Kumar and Zaheer Khan being rested, it was a bit surprising that Virat Kohli got a look-in ahead of the senior S. Badrinath. Be that as it may, the youngster didn’t really grab the opportunity but these are early days yet for Kohli.

Gautam Gambhir began with a flurry of boundaries before impetuosity got the better of him, Kohli hung around for a while before falling to Thilana Thushara while Suresh Raina played a pleasing 57-ball 45.

With none of the batsmen going on to build their starts the stage was perfect for Yuvraj and the left-hander paced his innings beautifully. If the first 50 was all about getting the eye in off 70 deliveries, the second and third came at a scorching pace, off a mere 25 and 16 deliveries respectively.

It wasn’t that he was brutal: on the contrary, he was splendid in his timing and the sheer audacity of some of his flat-batted strokes took the breath away.

As Yuvraj pillaged the Lankan attack, giving special attention to part-timer Mubarak, whom he clubbed for four successive sixes, the match was killed as a contest.

At the risk of giving in to hyperbole, a double hundred beckoned him but with overs running out, Yuvraj fell to Chanaka Welagadera but not before being the dominant force in partnerships of 77, 85 and 99 for the third, fourth and fifth wickets with Raina, Rohit Sharma and Dhoni respectively.

Up against the steep target, the Lankans initially set off in pursuit through Tharanga but soon realised the futility of the situation and played out the overs in a tame finish. For the Indians it was a fruitful day in office, warm-up or otherwise.