28 November,2009 09:44 AM IST | | Amol Karhadkar
India have a poor record when it comes to the final Test of a series. to keep the lead against Sri lanka, Dhoni will have to ensure no complacency creeps in at mumbai
The Indian team may have registered their landmark 100th Test win with a resounding innings-and-144-runs-victory against Sri Lanka in the second Test yesterday. But as Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men start preparing for the last of the three Tests, to be played in Mumbai from Wednesday, they will be wary of their last-Test blues.
Since 1932, India have either lost a series or have had to settle for a levelled series, courtesy a loss in the last Test on seven occasions. While five of these losses came during India's tours, twice it has happened on the home soil. Incidentally, the last instance in India was in Mumbai, the venue of the next Test. And the last time it happened away from home was in Sri Lanka, their opponents in this series.
In March 2006, India entered the Wankhede Stadium with a 1-0 lead in a three-match series against England, but succumbed to the pressure of batting in the last innings to lose by 212 runs. Thus, the series ended
1-1.
Last August, India entered the third Test at the P Saravanamuttu Stadium in Colombo with the series levelled at one match apiece but surrendered meekly to Ajantha Mendis' unorthodox off-spin. The match was lost and with it the series.
Though Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan are not at their best, Dhoni's men will still have to be wary of being complacent, come Wednesday. "Every game is important, irrespective of the numbers because when you go into a game, you have to do all the things well again," skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said after the win yesterday. "It is important to maintain your performance. We will focus on our preparation and on the responsibilities of the players."
To add to the pressure will be Gautam Gambhir's absence from the game. Gambhir will skip the Test because of his sister's wedding. After playing a match-saving knock in Ahmedabad last week, Gambhir, along with Virender Sehwag, set up India's Green Park victory with a scintillating ton on the opening morning.
Dhoni hoped that the team will be able to cope with Gambhir's absence. "Some things you have to adjust and move on. This is one of those situations where we can't do much. We are one of those sides that depends on a good start in whatever format we play. We are just hoping we get off to a good start," Dhoni said. Taking India's past record into account, Dhoni will be aware that in Mumbai next week, it won't be important to start well, but to end well as well.
