It was one of the best fast bowling performance I had seen in a test match on typical Indian conditions, in a very long time.  Until this test match, I had always thought Sreesanth was a bowler who had some ability in getting the ball to swing at a decent pace but was way too wayward to be described anywhere near as good. No doubt he was overrated but there were glimpses of his capabilities from time to time where many kept their faith on.

In the last two days, I watched for the first time his full repertoire of bowling skills coming all together and you have to imagine how much he has wasted all of his abilities.

Swinging the new ball is alright but he got the old ball to swing and seam either way at ease almost every time. It was as if he had the new ball with him all the time.

Some of the reverse swinging yorkers he bowled would have Waqar Younis extremely proud. It was a pity those deliveries did not yield him the wickets.

If there was anything which Ishanth Sharma should take a leaf out of was on Sreesanth’s brilliant use of the crease and the angles he created. It was not a predictable rut. He came around the wicket, went wide at times, changed his pace, bowled some good short ones, swung the ball both ways viciously and created a variety which removed the aspect of predictability in his bowling. Pray even Munaf Patel should go back and see his own debut test match and ponder on the similarities, reflecting on how badly he has lost his way.

Sreesanth got me fascinated and engaged on to the TV, getting me into his head thinking, attempting to predict and draw logical conclusions on how he is setting up the batsmen. If he brought that to someone sitting in front of a televison set, he pretty much must have been playing in the minds of the Sri Lankan batsmen for sure.

And finally, real fast bowling aggression and not some lame swearing and staring, celebrating with clenched teeth and fists as though his pair of coco-bongos below got hit for a grand home run.

For long, people wished he cut the juvenile melodrama and concentrated harder on his bowling. Those who knew him always said that he was a harmless nice guy off the field and his so-called theatrical aggression on the field was as fake as silicon except it was not half as cute to look at.

For once he actually obliged and it made a huge difference. It should be no-brainer for Sreesanth to figure out why he is less likely to get the long rope of faith during tougher times, which many of his team mates have clinged on for long. Sreesanth may be back to his wayward best in the next match but as long as he keeps out the theatrics, there will always be moments where he will blow the opposition away with his skill.

For now, his image makeover is everything to his career. I am keeping my fingers crossed.