India eye a first on foreign soil
CHASING HISTORY If Virat Kohli’s team wins Pallekele Test, it will be its first clean sweep overseas
PALLEKELE: With history beckoning, India will be going all out in the final Test in a bid for a clean sweep of the three-Test series against Sri Lanka. This would also be their first whitewash against a major team in overseas conditions.
If the skies remain clear, India are firm favourites to complete the rout at the Pal le kele International Stadium, starting from Saturday. If the home team thought a change of place and atmosphere --- moving from the coastal region to the hilly terrain of Kandy would bring a change in fortune, it doesn’t seem the cricket gods are smiling on Sri Lanka.
After the morale-shattering defeats, their plans to gain some momentum by working things out in the nets were washed away by heavy downpour for the last two days. With their main pacer, Nuwan Pradeep, and spinner, Rang ana Herath, unavailable, Sri Lanka will start on the back-foot.
It has put the home team ina fix over the type of wicket togo with. Up against an opponent with superior arsenal in every department, their best chance is to get a face-saving draw. But given the Pallekele turf’s assistance to bowlers, Sri Lanka’s main challenge on the eve of the game seemed to be getting grass off the playing surface.
Continuous rain since Thursday afternoon denied them the opportunity to work on the surface, which had a fair share of grass. The sun cameout at noon, leaving the ground-staffless than 24 hours for patch-up work, with chief selector San a th Jay as uri ya overseeing the operation. But despite heavy work, the wicket retains its green colour.
Desperate to avoid a whitewash, Sri Lank a would be hoping for a change in luck at toss, get to bat first and put runs on the board. In the first two Tests, they had to battle the scoreboard pressure with India posting 600- plus scores after batting first.
Sri Lanka’s lack of bench strength lays exposed and they will put out one of their most in experienced attacks in the absence of Herath and Pradeep.
Even though Ravind raJa deja holds the No 1 spot in ICC rank- ings, his absence should hardly affect India’s spin strength as R Ashwin remains the spearhead.
Given the conditions, it remains to be seen if India opt for an extra pacer. If they stick to the two-spinner, three-p acer combination, Kul deep Ya dav could play his first overseas Test. The chinaman bowler will be confident after his sterling show in his debut Test against Australia.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar could get a look-in as the third pacer depending on the grass cover.
India skipper Virat Kohli will be looking beyond this Test. He knows the true test will come in the next two years, with visits to South Africa, Australia and England lined up. The green turf and seaming conditions will be a good indicator of what lies ahead for his team.