If `Indian cricket' was ever taken as one word, the chances are that the thesaurus would show infuriating, entertaining, inconsistent and unpredictable as synonyms. The Kandy Test offered plenty of evidence to support that assertion. Consider India's snakes and ladders route to victory. After winning the toss, they had the Sri Lankans teetering on the edge at 138 for 5 on the first afternoon. Then, perhaps bored by their own disciplined performance, the bowlers shredded the script. Spoon-fed a nourishing diet of long hops and half volleys, the diminutive Mahela Jayawardene stroked his way to an effortless century as Sri Lanka recovered to a healthy 272. To compound the bowlers' indiscretions, the batsmen batted like wet behind the ears schoolboys to surrender a 42 run lead. The Sri Lankan bowling - save for Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan - rarely rose above mediocre, something emphasised by Harbhajan Singh during his thrill-a-minute 44. When Sri Lanka stretched their lead to 150 with seven wickets still standing, early on the third afternoon, you could see the writing taking shape on the wall. That was the cue for the much-maligned Venkatesh Prasad to produce one of the finest spells of his career. The hosts were bowled out for 221, this despite the efforts of Murali, whose 67 is surely a candidate for most entertaining innings of the year. With India needing to score 264 batting last, dusty volumes of Wisden were sought. It didn't make for pleasant reading. The last time India chased a target in excess of 200 successfully, Ganguly was barely out of diapers and on solid food (Port of Spain, 1976). Trust the batsmen then to see the team home in a canter. There were uncomfortable moments by the dozen but with Dravid such a reassuring presence at number three, the pursuit was always on. Ganguly's dramatic timing was impeccable, the tense run chase a perfect vehicle to showcase his return to form. Only Mohammad Kaif's impetuous swipe at a full toss deprived him of a century that few would have begrudged. And so to Colombo with the series level. Time to reflect for those that have savaged this Indian team in recent weeks. Like the English side that has been decimated in the Ashes, this is not a bad team. Missing two or three irreplaceable components, it can be taken for granted that they will struggle at times. Once Tendulkar, Laxman, Nehra and Kumble come back, it should be a different story. England have several reasons to be apprehensive about the winter tour. Sourav Ganguly's odyssey has taken him from Prince to Pauper and back to Prince again. No man in the history of Indian cricket has been subjected to as much ridicule and venom as he has in the past few months. This is a time for critics and fans alike to doff a cap in his direction. An eventful week for cricket, three of its prodigal sons coming home. Mark Butcher started it all at Headingley. Ganguly and Mark Ramprakash have followed suit. Perhaps, we could learn a thing or two from the lyrical wisdom of Bob Dylan. "Writers and critics who prophesise with your pen...don't speak too soon for the wheel's still in spin and there's no tellin' who that it's namin'. For the loser now will be later to win...the times they are a-changin'."

Dileep Premachandran is assistant editor for Wisden Online, India

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