Indian batters aim to ace spin test in warm-up before Test series against SL
India's batters will look to sharpen their game against spin when they take on a local Sri Lanka XI in a three-day warm-up fixture starting Friday, August 7, at the Nondescripts Cricket Club, ahead of a two-Test series against Sri Lanka beginning August 15 in Galle.
Spin bowling has been a weak spot for India in recent home series against New Zealand and South Africa, and the Sri Lankan attack strong in-home conditions is expected to pose a similar test.
Several senior batters, including captain Shubman Gill, vice-captain KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, had already begun working on their game against spin at domestic facilities before the squad left for Colombo.
However, this match offers the first real opportunity to assess conditions on Sri Lankan soil, with many squad members yet to play red-ball cricket in the country.
India last toured Sri Lanka for a Test series in 2017, and the current squad looks markedly different from that lineup. Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja are the only three in the current group with prior Test experience on Sri Lankan pitches.
With pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah out injured, Mohammed Siraj will lead India's bowling attack, backed by Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain. Apart from Siraj and Kuldeep, the bowling unit is largely untested at this level, and the warm-up fixture will offer valuable exposure once again on a Sri Lankan surface.
Brar and Jain both impressed during an India A tour match against Sri Lanka A in Galle last month, and are expected to build on that experience.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir spoke about the team's readiness in a video shared by the BCCI, saying the squad intends to put in the work and be prepared for "every answer to every question thrown" at them by the time the first Test begins. He urged players to complete their preparation checklist ahead of the series opener.
Weather could complicate India's plans, with intermittent rain forecast in Colombo from Friday.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have named a strong SLC XI featuring several players in contention for Test selection. The side will be led by Sonal Dinusha, who has three Tests to his name, and includes pacers Vishwa Fernando and Lahiru Kumara, along with spinners Isitha Wijesundara and Ramesh Mendis.
The match begins at 10 am.
(Inputs: PTI)
