India had a disastrous start to the Test series with Sri Lanka. One of the world’s best batting orders failed to take on Sri Lankan spin maestro Muthiah Muralitharan and the new bowling sensation Ajantha Mendis. Keeping these in mind the Indian selector board has a tough task ahead for selecting the best ODI team for the upcoming five-match series starting from August 18.
On Tuesday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Niranjan Shah told the media persons that the players for the ODI series would be finalised on Aug 06. He also informed about the availability of Mahendra Singh Dhoni as captain of the one-day team.
The first two matches of the One-day cricket series scheduled on Aug 18 and Aug 20 will be played in the day at Dumbulla. However, the last three are day-night internationals will be held at Colombo's Premadasa Stadium on August 24, 26 and 29.
Meanwhile, the BCCI will also have to select the final team for the forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled in Pakistan from September 11-24. The last date for team finalization is on August 12.
Second Test Match
Taking the first Test match performance into account, it seems that India’s strong batting line-up is at stake against Lankan spin assault. The first match at Colombo brought a comprehensive and 239-run victory for Sri Lanka in which both Mendis and Murli shared 19 wickets to script an innings victory; it was their third biggest victory in Test cricket.
Indian batsmen, full of experience, just need to go to the crease with a right frame of mind to read the spin and turn of both the spinners. Galle, one of the exciting venues for cricket has a cheery history for the Lankans and especially Murli, who has so far recorded as many as 91 wickets from 12 Tests at the very same venue including 10 five-wicket hauls.
India needs to come up with some different strategy for individual batsman taking their force and flaw into count. In fact, it’s a real Test for the coach Gary Kirsten, who himself being a star batsman in his career should have some arithmetic to Sri Lankan bowling attack. Batsmen like Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid together have to live upto their worth.
All together, India has to play with a good combination of spin and pace bowlers as Galle has a history of supporting pace attack but at the same time slow bowlers in the later half of the match. No doubt it’s a tough job for batsmen, coach, India’s own bowling attack and the team management to play with the best of eleven.
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