India’s Spin Attack and Selection Dilemmas
Former Sri Lanka all-rounder Farveez Maharoof anticipates that India might deploy three spinners in the initial Test against Sri Lanka. He suggests that young left-arm spinner Manav Suthar could be favoured over uncapped off-spinner Saransh Jain.
India will be without Ravichandran Ashwin, who has retired, and the injured Washington Sundar for the first Test. This leaves Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav as the probable primary spin choices. The key selection decision revolves around who will join them in the playing XI.
Maharoof believes Suthar possesses an advantage due to his capacity to generate bounce from the pitch. Sri Lankan surfaces can assist spinners through bounce, which could be particularly beneficial. Suthar began his international career by taking seven wickets on his debut against Afghanistan. Jain, who has yet to make his India debut, was part of the India A tour to Sri Lanka, where he claimed seven wickets.
Despite the potential for an off-spinner to offer variation, Maharoof suggests that Suthar’s ability to get bounce might be more valuable, even if it results in India fielding three left-arm spinners. He stated he would be inclined to select two left-arm spinners along with Kuldeep Yadav, who is considered a strong candidate to start in Galle given his past performance and wicket tally in the last Test against Afghanistan.
Maharoof expects India to enter the Test with a balanced bowling lineup, featuring three spinners and two seamers. He sees India’s bowling unit as competitive.
Rishabh Pant Poses a Significant Threat
Maharoof also identified Rishabh Pant as a major concern for Sri Lanka. This assessment comes despite Pant’s modest scores of two and 28 in India’s three-day warm-up match in Colombo, which India won by six wickets.
Maharoof cautioned that these scores should not instill confidence in Sri Lanka ahead of the Test, highlighting Pant’s capability to alter the course of a match rapidly. He expressed that if he were in the Sri Lankan dressing room, he would be very apprehensive about Rishabh Pant, noting Pant’s ability to change a game within a short timeframe.
Maharoof anticipates that Sri Lanka will heavily rely on spin against Pant, predicting that the home team will feature two primary spinners alongside two part-time options. However, he believes Pant’s unconventional style could still make him challenging to contain. He mentioned that Pant has the X-factor and the freedom to play his natural game, and will likely face a lot of left-arm and off-spin.
Sri Lanka’s Consistency and Key Players
Farveez Maharoof emphasised the need for Sri Lanka to show greater consistency in the longer format of the game. He highlighted that veteran batter Dinesh Chandimal will be a crucial player during the two-Test series against India at home.
Maharoof, who is part of the expert panel for India’s Test tour of Sri Lanka, beginning on August 15, discussed Sri Lanka’s need for consistency ahead of the World Test Championship (WTC) series. He noted that Sri Lanka finished seventh, fifth, and sixth in the previous three completed WTC cycles.
The former all-rounder, who played in 139 matches for Sri Lanka, believes that this is the best opportunity for captain Dhananjaya de Silva to defeat India at home. India has won the last two Test series in Sri Lanka in 2015 and 2017, with Sri Lanka’s last victory against India occurring in 2008.
Maharoof suggested that for Sri Lanka to elevate their game, they must be more consistent, both individually and as a team. He cited the soft dismissals in the Antigua Test against the West Indies as a significant disappointment. He desires to see more fight, grit, and consistency from the top order.
He acknowledged that Sri Lanka would miss players like Angelo Matthews but noted the emergence of new talent, such as Kamindu Mendis, who is expected to bat at number four. Maharoof believes that Dhananjaya de Silva could make history by leading Sri Lanka to a victory against India, especially as India enters the series with questions after a loss to South Africa at home.
Dinesh Chandimal, a seasoned Sri Lankan player, has a strong record against India, having scored 750 runs in eight Tests across 16 innings at an average of 50.00, including two centuries and three half-centuries. He notably scored an unbeaten 162 to help Sri Lanka win in Galle by 63 runs in 2015.
Maharoof feels that Chandimal, with his experience from 92 Tests, has a vital role to play, likely batting at number three. He recalled Chandimal’s third-inning hundred against bowlers like Ravichandran Ashwin and Amit Mishra, suggesting these positive memories will be beneficial. He stressed that concentration will be crucial for all batters in the humid conditions. The ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle will include this series.
India’s squad for the Test series against Sri Lanka includes Shubman Gill (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain, and Auqib Nabi. The series will commence on August 15.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
