Cricket: Sidelined Sehwag a boost for Black Caps

Indian opener Virender Sehwag is out of the Tri-Series with a shoulder injury. Photo / Mark Mitchell

COLOMBO - The threat of Tillakaratne Dilshan is undiminished but the absence of India's swashbuckling Virender Sehwag has given New Zealand cause for optimism as they seek the ideal platform for the upcoming Champions Trophy in South Africa.

Sehwag is a notable absentee from the Indian squad for a short Tri-Series which starts later tonight when Sri Lanka play New Zealand at R Premadasa Stadium (9pm NZT).

A shoulder injury means New Zealand avoid one of the most devastating strikers of a cricket ball - though Dilshan has done a decent impression of the Delhi destroyer in the test and Twenty20 component of this tour.

The demoralising effect of Sehwag can be far-reaching - young quick Tim Southee is yet to truly recover from watching his first three balls to Sehwag land on the foundations of the Deans Stand at Christchurch's AMI Stadium when India opened their tour on February 25.

Sehwag rarely let up in the limited overs formats and by the end of the five-match ODI series - won by the Indians 3-1 - he had tonked 299 runs at 74.25.

The 30-year-old plundered 125 not out at Hamilton from 74 balls and a couple of fifties - his aggregate came from 199 deliveries, an amazing strike rate of 150.25. All up, he cracked 37 boundaries and cleared the fences 11 times.

"It is a relief," said vice-captain Brendon McCullum when asked about the significance of Sehwag not leading off the Indian order in against New Zealand on Friday (9pmNZT).

"The way he played against us in the home summer, he was pretty terrifying at the top of the order," McCullum said.

"He really tore us apart so to not have him in their team is a bit of a blow for them."

Dilshan has a similar modus operandi, makes even less of a distinction between tests and limited overs cricket.

His back-to-back innings' of 92 and 123 not out in Galle tormented New Zealand's first test attack; he was restrained at the Sinhalese Sports Club but a blistering, though forlorn, 57 from 28 deliveries ensured Shane Bond initially endured an expensive return to international cricket in the first Twenty20 last week.

Crucially Bond refined his plans for game two and Dilshan fell for a leg side trap in the first over - a dismissal that essentially ended the contest.

McCullum said the fast bowler's response was indicative of the lift Bond's presence has given the side since he arrived from New Zealand A duty in India.

"He's such a smart bowler, he probably doesn't have the genuine pace he had back in the VB series a few years ago (2002) but he's certainly a better bowler now as well with his ability to read a game, read a player and adapt accordingly."

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan skipper Sangakkara denied his side's self belief had been dented by the back-to-back Twenty20 losses though he agreed too much was expected of Dilshan.

With fellow opener, the veteran Sanath Jayasuriya, stuck in a rut the onus is on Dilshan to get Sri Lanka off to a productive start.

"Unfortunately the other guys haven't been supporting him (Dilshan) as they can," Sangakkara said.

"Form comes and goes but I think the players we do have are well capable of getting us the runs and the starts we need to win."

The toss will be crucial throughout given the last 10 ODIs at Premadasa have been won by the team that dictates terms by batting first.

Daniel Vettori has a 32-17 win-loss ratio though in the most recent series against India he won only one from four against Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Sangakkara, aware Sri Lanka have lost seven on their last 10 matches at the venue, insisted trends were not set in stone.

"We know it's easier to bat at the start but that doesn't mean you lose the game at the toss," he claimed.

"You go with a positive mind set and if you execute your game plans the playing field becomes level and equal."

Sri Lanka may yet be boosted by the return of spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, providing he passes a fitness test on the groin injury that hampered his performance on the final day of the second test.

- NZPA