Past imperfect, India to play safe
Like most games here, the contests between India and Sri Lanka too have been thrilling. On this wicket, only the bold thrive. It is not a surface where you look to play the waiting game; here one needs to be adventurous, take one’s chances because one is never in. But at the same time, for stroke-makers, there is good value.
Any ball will have your name written on it and it’s about putting runs on the board while you are in the middle than looking to survive.
You don’t have to look any further than the last Test India played here in 2015. India needed just 176 to win with lot of time in hand, but were dismissed for 112 in 49.5 overs. Till then, they had dominated almost every sessions in the game and Sri Lanka needed Dinesh Chandimal’s stunning 162 not out to set even that target.
India’s bowling has been a revelation in recent years. While earlier its strength lay in spinners , now it also has a varied and highly effective pace attack.
It has left the team management with a tricky call to make on the combination. Usually, India prefer a three-man pace and twoman spin attack. Here, they may reverse the combination.
R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja (spin) and Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar pick themselves on form and performances. It leaves Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Hardik Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav to fight for the fifth bowler’s spot.
India’s jinx with the opening continues. Here, they will be without their first-choice pair of Murali Vijay (injured) and KL Rahul (fever). It leaves Shikhar Dhawan, Abhinav Mukund and Rohit Sharma with a chance to make the XI.
On the eve of the match, captain Virat Kohli said they would go in with their regular opening combination, which means Dhawan will play with fellow lefthander Mukund. The Indian skipper also revealed they are considering blooding Hardik Pandya.
Given the strength of their batting, India should be confident of coping with the last-minute loss of Rahul.