Openers in focus in warm-up tie

India’s journey to becoming world No 1 in Tests over the last 18 months was filled with many positives. One area that doesn’t wear a settled look though is the opening combination.

Injury, and sometimes lack of form, led to frequent changes. It resulted in a musical chair of sorts where the onus of giving good starts fell on the shoulders of KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Gautam Gambhir and even Abhinav Mukund. It produced mixed results, with Rahul and Vijay being the standout performers.

As India gear up for a threeTest series against Sri Lanka with a warm-up game against President’s XI in Colombo on Friday, the focus will again be on the opening combination. The tour is just a precursor to a challenging period where India will visit South Africa, England and Australia in the next 18 months.

In the squad for the Sri Lanka Test series, Rahul is coming back after recovering from a shoulder injury while Dhawan was called as replacement for Vijay who was ruled out due to a wrist injury.

Rohit’s hiatus too has been long. He returns to the Test squad after the series against New Zealand in October, 2016, having missed out on the series against England, Bangladesh and Australia.

The Mumbai batsman underwent a thigh surgery after suffering an injury during the ODI series against New Zealand. Although Sharma has not played a first-class game since recovery, he had featured in the Indian Premier League before the Champions Trophy where he amassed more than 300 runs.

Rahul, who had scored six fifties in seven innings in the Australia series, is also back in the squad after recuperating from a shoulder surgery that ruled him out of the IPL, the Champions Trophy and the West Indies series.

Both batsmen will look to make the most of the practice game to stake their claim in the playing XI in the first Test against Sri Lanka, starting July 26 at Galle. Like Sharma, Dhawan too last played a Test against New Zealand last year. He was dropped during the England series due to poor form and this tour of Sri Lanka should be another opportunity to make amends.

Harmanpreet Kaur struck a sensational, unbeaten 171 as India stunned champions Australia by 36 runs to storm into the ICC Women’s World Cup final on Thursday.

Harmanpreet smashed 20 fours and seven sixes in a whirlwind innings of 115 deliveries to help India overcome a slow start and amass 281/4 in 42 overs, after the match in Derby was reduced following heavy rain.

Indian pace bowlers Jhulan Goswami and Shikha Pandey then led the spirited showing on the field before the champions were 245 all out in 40.1 overs, avoiding a big defeat thanks to a last-gasp 90 by Alex Blackwell.

Mithali Raj’s side will face England in the final to be played at the Lord’s on Sunday. India will vie for the title a second time.

Harmanpreet Kaur played the innings of her life after India, having elected to bat, made a slow start. She played herself in before smashing the Aussie bowlers to all parts, hitting big sixes and cashing in towards the end as she was fed full tosses to hole out.

India lost openers Smriti Mandhana and Punam Raut within the first 10 overs. However, Mithali Raj and Harmanpreet Kaur got together in a 66-run stand to steady the innings. While Mithali fell for 36, Harmanpreet held on and picked up pace to dismantle the Australian bowling.

Harmanpreet completed her century from 90 balls, adding 71 runs from her next 25 deliveries. She raised a blistering 137-run fourth-wicket partnership with Deepti Sharma, who scored 25. Veda Krishnamurthy scored 16 not out help India raise a formidable total in the end.

The phone has not stopped ringing at the Bhullar household in Moga (Punjab) since the cricketer started swatting the Australian bowlers out of the park at Derby. Her father Harmander Singh Bhullar told Hindustan Times, “The real celebrations will only start when India wins the match and storms into the final.”

But he could not hide his feelings on the Harmanpreet’s spec-