This pitch will gradually get difficult to play, says Rahane
India and Sri Lanka appeared to be batting on two different surfaces at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground on Friday, and Ajinkya Rahane warned the struggling hosts things would only get tougher on the dry track. “Tomorrow will be key for our bowlers, they have to bowl in the right areas for a long period of time,” Rahane said after play. “Day 2 and 3, the wicket will gradually get difficult to play.” Sri Lanka picked three spinners, but none impressed as skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and India piled up 622/9 declared. By contrast, R Ashwin extracted sharp turn and struck twice by stumps. “It’s not going to be easy for our bowlers. They have to bowl in the right areas. The wicket is turning. It is not easy for the batsmen,” the India vice-captain added.
SWEEP NOT ADVISED
Sri Lanka were 50/2 and Rahane warned the home batsmen’s penchant to play the sweep could prove disastrous.
“It is high risk playing sweep on this track. The bounce is variable, some balls are bouncing. We know if they play the sweep shot, it is good for us. We have a chance to get wickets.”
Rahane put on a masterclass, showing how to adjust to a dry surface on way to a fine 132. “When we played here last time (2015), especially after the Galle Test, we decided that footwork against him (Rangana Herath) was very important. Here again in the first Test, Shikhar batted really well, but throughout against him and their spinners we wanted to use our footwork so we can get more runs on the backfoot. Especially on this kind of wicket, it is very slow and dry, we knew if we use our footwork we will get more runs on the backfoot.”
Being the No 1 ranked team for a while, India also had to make a statement by dominating.
“My focus was to dominate (when I started). We are the No 1 team. We talk about it in dressing room, so despite the situation, we didn’t want to get under pressure. Going to bat, I knew a little bit how the wicket was behaving and the communication between me and Pujara was such that we hardly played any maiden over. So, we put pressure on them,” said Rahane, comparing the knock to his racy century – 147 off 171 balls -- in Melbourne in 2014.
For Rahane, the hundred was important as he had gone nine Tests and 19 innings without a century since scoring 188 against New Zealand at Indore in October. “It was important for me, but I was confident. It was all about thinking positive throughout that period. And coming to Sri Lanka, I was batting well in the West Indies as well. I wanted to carry that form forward.”