IND vs SL 1st Test: Don’t underestimate Sri Lanka

The buildup to this two-Test collection has virtually seemed like Sri Lanka are right here simply to supply an opposition for Virat Kohli to play his a hundredth Test. They are admittedly not even half the facet they had been a decade in the past, they’ve slipped to No 7 within the ICC Test rankings, and so they have by no means gained a Test match in 20 makes an attempt in India.

But the final time they had been right here, in late 2017, Sri Lanka drew two of the three Tests. They gave India a scare within the collection opener at Eden Gardens, the place they dismissed the hosts for 172 and took a 122-run first-innings lead.

They are unbeaten of their earlier six Tests, though these have come towards West Indies and Bangladesh. Before that, that they had misplaced 4 successive Tests to South Africa and England. While they’ve simple promise, as evidenced within the collection win in South Africa in early 2019, competing persistently towards greater opponents has been a difficulty for Sri Lanka of late.

📸 Sri Lanka Test Squad for India Series.

What’s your taking part in XI for the SL’s three hundredth Test? #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/Yx0Si00YaL

— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) March 3, 2022

In Mohali and Bengaluru, they are going to be led by the veteran opener Dimuth Karunaratne. On a Colombo turner in 2017, the left-hander had struck a second-innings 141 in a six-hour effort towards R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.

Young Pathum Nissanka brims with potential at No 3 with a first-class common of 63.47. Angelo Mathews, eight wanting 100 Tests himself now, follows Nissanka within the center order. Next is Dhananjaya de Silva, who has eight Test centuries, bowls helpful off-spin, and had made 119 in 2017 to earn Sri Lanka a attract Delhi from 35 for 4. Niroshan Dickwella brings chirp behind the stumps and spunk in entrance of them.

WATCH : Pre Series Press Briefing with Dimuth Karunaratne | Test Series | Sri Lanka tour of India 2022 – https://t.co/LUdgGYxISw #INDvSL

— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) March 3, 2022

The bowling is led by the skilled seamer Suranga Lakmal in his farewell collection, and has some severe tempo in Lahiru Kumara and Vishwa Fernando. Lasith Embuldeniya and Praveen Jayawickrama are contrasting however prolific left-arm spinners who might be a handful if Mohali turns, as it’s anticipated to. Not for nothing was Rohit Sharma practising reverse-paddles towards Ravindra Jadeja and Saurabh Kumar within the nets. And leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay is but to play a Test, however has 224 first-class wickets at a mean of 26.64.

If they will keep some self-discipline, Sri Lanka might check India in Kohli’s landmark sport. On paper, this doesn’t appear to be a facet that’s right here simply to make up the numbers.