Lankan camp is confident
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Determined Lankan skipper making some final adjustments while the Indian skipper Kohli, will be looking for runs - Pix by Amila Gamage
Two days hence, Lankans will be embarking on another journey to the unknown when they take on the strong Indian cricket combination in the first of the three Tests at the Galle International Cricket Stadium. Strangely both teams are in the process of team building with some of the stalwarts who had carved a niche deciding to give their playing kit permanent rest in the international arena. At the same time both teams have faced negative results and thus will be looking to take this as an opportunity to make amends.
Though in another format, India’s experiences against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe could not be termed as encouraging, while the Lankans did fail in all three formats of the game against Pakistan – a team whom they have had better results in the recent past.
The Lankan selection committee chairman Kapila Wijegunewardena speaking to the Sunday Times said “We experienced some weaknesses in our cricket in all three formats of the game against Pakistan, however we have to take that result in a positive manner and make that a learning curve.
“At the same time injury to young Dushmantha Chameera was another factor for us in the crucial Test that we lost. Yet, we have the confidence that we do possess the talent in our bowling to take the necessary twenty wickets to win matches”. Certainly the major attraction at Galle from Wednesday would be the penultimate outing of Lankan iconic cricketer Kumar Sangakkara who would be seen for the last time at the Southern capital at International level.
With him in the playing eleven the bar of confidence in the Lankan dressing room should be sky high.In batting, besides the expertise of Sangakkara, openers, Kaushal Silva and Dimuth Karunaratne have contributed enough to make the selectors feel more than comfortable. At the same time Dinesh Chandimal who did a good job behind the wickets besides his batting during the Pakistan tour along with skipper Angelo Mathews and Lahiru Thirimanne make up the rest of the middle order. However one hopes if the Lankan camp is looking for a seven-four combination the team hierarchy would take a closer look at the talent of dashing Kusal Janith Perera who is a genuine match winner on his day.
One wonders if it is a four bowler combination if the selectors seriously look at playing two spinners in P.H.T. Kaushal along with veteran Rangana Herath so that the youngster could learn a lot from the experience of Herath at Test match level. Then the selectors have the names of four seamers — Dushmantha Chameera – subject to fitness, Dhammika Prasad, Nuwan Pradeep and new comer Vishwa Fernando who bagged 2 for 17 in five overs during the Indian tour opener warm-up.
For the Indians it should have been a good enough outing with Ajinkya Rahane making a century and paceman Ishant Sharma capturing five wickets. However there also must be some concern with the sound of skipper Virat Kholi’s bat. It failed to make much of a din in the first outing.
Sri Lanka from: Angelo Mathews (Captain), Lahiru Thirimanne (Vice Captain), Kaushal Silva, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, Upul Tharanga, Jehan Mubarak, Kusal Janith Perera, Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera, P H T Kaushal, Nuwan Pradeep, Dhammika Prasad, Vishwa Fernando, Dushmantha Chameera (subject to fitness)
India from: Virat Kohli (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha (wicketkeeper), Harbhajan Singh, R Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Amit Mishra, Varun Aaron
Free entry for school children
Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to invite all School Cricketers and School Boys of the Southern Province to come and support the legendary Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara when he plays his final test match in Galle. Entrance for all School Cricketers and School Boys will be free of charge for this special occasion. School Principles are requested to inform school children to make this event a major success for this extraordinary ambassador of Sri Lanka Cricket. School Cricketers and School Boys are requested to come in their respective school uniform to receive Free Entry to the venue.