For over six months now, Sourav Ganguly has done a passable impression of the number one bowling pin: prime target for anyone wanting to take a shot. Today, it was his turn to play the shots and he did it at a time when India needed it the most. This was no flawless gem though. There were plenty of beautiful cuts and cover drives, but there was the odd ugly scratch and a few near misses too. Luck was with him today and he went about his task as positively as we ever seen him bat did. He was reprieved twice, Muttiah Muralitharan dropping a difficult chance at gully and Russel Arnold a sitter at second slip. But when you've been stuck with low scores for months, any joker that comes along is happily grasped. With Rahul Dravid departing soon after lunch, Ganguly had to see India to the finishing line. He did so with a vengeance. A flurry of attacking strokes flowed from his bat and soon it was the Ganguly of old. The touch, the timing and the placement were all impeccable and soon he was charging down the track to cart Murali over his head. The manner in which Ganguly dealt with Dilhara Fernando was especially impressive. Fernado had troubled him with the short-pitched ball in the first Test and Ganguly had a point to prove. He was in discomfort a couple of times again today, but won the battle for most part. No less important was his positive approach to Murali. As the day wore on, the grin on Murali's face was replaced by a grimace. He started with a cut to the backward-point boundary and never allowed Murali to settle. Midway through his innings, he danced down the track, straight drove the ball for four and met Murali in the middle of pitch. The stare said all. Sri Lanka's matchwinning bowler had been put in place, the Indian captain had exorcised a ghost. Perhaps it's just as well that Ganguly missed out - by the proverbial coat of paint - on three figures. That would have led to one paean of praise too many. The clenched fist and warm hug for Mohammad Kaif at the end indicated that he didn't mind too much. Spare a thought for old man Dungarpur though. Rumour has it that he was last seen at the Cricket Club of India, gagging on that tastiest of dishes. Humble pie, best served hot.

Dileep Premachandran is assistant editor, Wisden India

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