Indian Tour And Performances

The Sri Lankans have their work cut out on this tour to India. Our lads have not won on Indian soil for a considerable time and Sangakkara would be anxious to reverse this record. The team looks strong on paper. But be warned the Indians on home soil are a tough bunch to crack.

The warm up game was washed off giving much required feel factor a miss. The warm up games are very important to get used to conditions and a feel of playing in foreign surroundings. The bowlers need to get used to conditions, wickets and the batsmen a clear work out in the middle on match conditions. The warm up games allow the new and fresh players a first look at international taste. It builds confidence and a fresh impetus is created to do well on foreign soil.

The Sri Lankans had a minor crisis when Tillekeratne Dilshan sprained his ankle during warm up sessions but news reaching me now confirms that he will be fit for the Tests. The Indian wickets have been traditionally slow with a low bounce and batsmen need to get used to the pace quickly. There will be plenty of turn from day two and spinners will have a heavy load to carry. Sanath Jayasuriya will have to bowl fairly extensively if used.

Mendis and Murali are expected to be among the wickets and now with Nuwan Kulasekera getting his in swinger going nicely, he will be a handful too.

Batting will hold the key in this series and the front five will have to score big. Runs are a plenty on Indian wickets if one is prepared to be patient. Shot selection and pacing will become important. Scores of upper two hundred is not good enough on these wickets. The Indian front line batsmen are far too good to fail twice and our lads should aim to bat once or at most a one and a half innings. Day five on a wearing, dusty Indian wicket is a batsman’s nightmare. Spinners lick their fingers with greed on a fifth.

The home side has a tremendous advantage in having the entire playing brood to select from in addition to playing on familiar surroundings. It also brings out the best out of the freshers who would be under the watchful eyes of the entire selection committee.

The Sri Lankan team looks well balanced with a youthful mix but the key would be the scores Sangakkara, Mahela, Samaraweera and Dilshan can put together with consistency. Testing times for Kandamby and he should make the most of this tour to secure a permanent place. A score of fifty necessarily needs to be turned into a century on these wickets. It would depend on partnerships both in batting and bowling. Murali is experienced enough to exploit the conditions but Mendis will be under scrutiny. Good luck boys.