Nagpur: Both India and Sri Lanka would eye a lead in the three-match series when they face each other in the second Test at the Vidarbha Cricket Association ground in Nagpur on Friday, November 24.
After a thriller of a match in Kolkata, both these sides would like to go full throttle in claiming series deciding lead in the upcoming game. The spinners dominated the last time a Test match was played here in Nagpur, which was back in 2015 against South Africa. Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Amit Mishra had bagged a lot of wickets as India finally managed to upstage the Proteas by 124 runs. But there wasn’t any international tour following that series.
This time, the story is entirely different. Having voiced a concern over cramped scheduling, the Indian team has sought for, ‘green’ pitches which would help them prepare for the upcoming tour of South Africa early next year, for which the number one Test side hardly has time to prepare.
Ashwin and Jadeja, whose skilful spin bowling helped India dominate the game in both the innings back in 2015 haven’t been in the best of shapes of late. Having been, ‘rotated’ and hence not finding a place in India’s limited overs’ team for the past few series, both Ashwin and Jadeja haven’t looked like their old self.
Although it’s very early to say this, as just one Test match has been played so far in this home season, but both of them remaining wicketless in the first Test isn’t a good sign. Also with reports of India seeking for a pitch similar to that of the Kolkata one for this Test also, both of them might have to dig really deep to be amongst the wicket-takers. Ashwin, requires eight more wickets to reach to the 300-wicket mark in Test cricket and if he achieves it in the next two games, then he would be the fastest in the format to do so.
Opener Shikhar Dhawan, who opted out of the remainder of the Test series due to personal reasons would make way for Murali Vijay, who was benched in the first game. Also, Ishant Sharma, who has been in red-hot form so far in the Ranji Trophy would replace Man-of-the-match in the last game Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who too is out of the rest of the series owing to personal reasons.
Barring Cheteshwar Pujara, the entire Indian batting fell apart in the first innings as a result of the pitch offering something for the quick bowlers. Hence, the Indian batters would have their task cut out once again if the pitch is made a green top as it was in the last Test.
The Indian skipper, while speaking on the absence of Dhawan and Bhuvneshwar said, “We pick a squad keeping in mind all 15 are equipped with what is required to perform at the international level. These kinds of scenarios where two guys miss out for personal reasons is an opportunity for the guys who get games in these situations. I am not worried at all.”
Sri Lankan skipper Dinesh Chandimal, who requires more 22 runs to become the 13th Sri Lankan to cross the 3000-run mark in the longest format.
Probable playing XI (India)-
Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravindra Jadeja/Rohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav
Probable playing XI (Sri Lanka)-
Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dimuth Karunaratne, Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dasun Shanaka/Lakshan Sandakan, Niroshan Dickwella, Dilruwan Perera, Rangana Herath, Lahiru Gamage/Vishwa Fernando, Suranga Lakmal