Currently leading 1-0 in the two-match Test series, India will want to end the series on a high when they take on Sri Lanka at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
MATCH CENTRE | WTC STANDINGS
India vs Sri Lanka
M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
12-16 March, 12:30 PM local time
For a team that’s undergoing transition, India made a massive statement of intent under the new Test captainship of Rohit Sharma with a dominating win by an innings and 222 runs in the first Test in Mohali. It consolidated India’s fifth position in the World Test Championship standings but they will be looking to move further up with a win in Bengaluru.
Ravindra Jadeja was the star of the show with 175* in the first innings, which was followed by nine wickets in the next two innings. The all-round brilliance helped the southpaw scale to the top of the ICC Test Rankings for all-rounders.
India have made one change to the squad with Axar Patel replacing Kuldeep Yadav. Patel, who last played against New Zealand in November, has recovered from shin injury as well as COVID19 and could slot right into the playing XI in place of Jayant Yadav.
Sri Lanka will be looking to bounce back after a crushing defeat in the first Test. The bowlers looked hapless when asked to bowl first and the batters too looked off-colour, with only two half-centuries in the whole match.
The two positives for Sri Lanka were the half-centurions Pathum Nissanka and Niroshan Dickwella. Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne will have to lead from the front with the bat, especially after an injury has ruled Nissanka out of the second Test, and hope the other pieces fall in place if they are to break their Test hoodoo in India.
The Test will be Suranga Lakmal’s final game for Sri Lanka and the Islanders will be hoping to give the veteran bowler a farewell to remember.
Remember the last time
Led by Ravindra Jadeja’s 175* and fifties from Rishabh Pant (96) and Ravichandran Ashwin (61), India posted a mammoth 574/8 before declaring. In reply, Sri Lanka were bowled out for just 174, with Jadeja leading the way with a five-for.
Asked to follow on, the visitors could manage only four better from their first innings total, thanks to Niroshan Dickwella’s 51*. For the hosts, Jadeja and Ashwin picked up four wickets, with the latter going past Kapil Dev to become India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket.
In the end, the spin twins proved to be too hot to handle for the visitors as India walloped Sri Lanka by an innings and 222 runs.
What they said
India vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah on specific preparations for the pink ball Test: “It all depends on the individual. Pink Ball looks different, the speed at which it comes to you on the field and the amount it moves or spins is also different. Also timings for the day-night Test are also different, so the ball might not do so much in the first session but might start to do more under the light. We have played the Pink Ball Tests on all different surfaces, so there are no set parameters for it.”