India’s well-rested bowlers raring to go
Memories of the 3-0 drubbing in their own backyard just a couple of months back must have come flooding back to Sri Lankan minds as they set foot on Indian soil last week for the multi-format tour starting with the first Test in Kolkata from today.
Dinesh Chandimal’s men will be aware of how formidable this Indian team is and therefore know what lies ahead of them, but they will derive plenty of confidence from having subsequently defeated Pakistan 2-0 in the UAE. That, coupled with the return of Angelo Mathews, will give them a great deal of heart, though they will need to be at their very best if they are to upset India’s applecart.
Having seen the ruthlessness and total focus with which India hunted down Sri Lanka in July-August, I don’t see any let-up in intensity this time around either. India’s formula during the successful home season last season and in Sri Lanka revolved around posting huge first-innings totals and then allowing the quality of their bowlers and scoreboard pressure to work on the opposition.
Victories at home against New Zealand, England, Bangladesh and Australia were primarily eked out on good cricket pitches, which is a huge shot in the arm for Virat Kohli and his team.
Overlooked for the limitedovers matches in recent times, the core bowling group of Mohammad Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will be raring to go. All of them have played in the Ranji Trophy and have sharpened their skills, but the one thing they must guard against is over-trying and looking to make a statement.
Tricky choice
They are all proven performers at the top of their respective games and, so long as they stick to the basics, they will be perfectly fine.
India have a couple of tricky selection choices to make. Since it was re-laid a year and a half or so back, the Eden surface has assisted the quicker bowlers more than it has the spinners, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar picked up a five-for in India’s last Test there against New Zealand. With Hardik Pandya rested, does the think tank stick with the five-bowler option with Bhuvi as the fifth component, or does it play the extra batsman in Rohit Sharma? I think the answer is fairly obvious.
The other happy headache is which two openers to pick from K.L. Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan and M. Vijay. Shikhar has been in terrific form since his comeback in Sri Lanka, Rahul has been a picture of consistency in Test cricket, and Vijay has been India’s best Test opener in the last four years or so. Furthermore, both Rahul and Vijay stated their cases with big knocks in their last Ranji outing.
I am glad I don’t have to take that call!