India vs Sri Lanka, 2nd Test: Express Preview

While India would look to bounce back in Colombo, Sri Lanka would like to give Kumar Sangakkara a fitting farewell.

India and Sri Lanka will battle it out in the second Test in Colombo, starting Wednesday. While the retiring Kumar Sangakkara will hog the limelight for five days, if it lasts that long, a lot is at stake for both sides undergoing transition of sorts. India frittered away the advantage to lose the opening Test at Galle, where spin played a part. And Colombo should be no different.

India: The visitors dominated 70, say 80, per cent of the opening Test. They bang on with the ball, and the five batsmen theory worked, at least in the first innings. It was only after Dinesh Chandima’s counter-attacking knock that the Virat Kohli-led unit were pushed to the wall. The bowlers, spinners in particular, were running short of ideas as the wicketkeeper-batsman countered whatever they had to offer.

After bowling out the hosts for 367 in the second innings, India had their task cut out. They had to bat well to chase 176 on a tricky wicket. They failed, and how. Coming from a country known for its class against tweakers, India were found wanting as Rangana Herath (7/48) ripped through the batting order. Ajinkya Rahane was the top scorer with a fighting 36 and only three specialist batsmen could enter double figures. A game dominated for most of the play was lost in the final session.

Sri Lanka: It was a completely opposite story for Sri Lanka. The hosts struggled earlier but got their act right in time to deliver the knock out punch. Spinners regrouped, batters, Chandimal, in particular, got their act right and staged an emphatic performance to take 1-0 lead. While the spin department and the middle order looks sorted as of now, Sri Lanka have their set of worries in openers.

Both Karunarathne and Silva could together manage just 14 runs in the first Test and exposed the middle-order way too early in the contest. They fell to seam in the first innings and were trapped by the Indian spinners in the second.

In the spotlight:

Rohit Sharma: His talent is yet to justify the opportunities, in the longer format. In his last ten Test innings, Rohit has managed to score just one fifty and has got out in single digits on five occasions, including a duck. It’s time the right-hander came to party because there is a very hungry Cheteshwar Pujara waiting in the wings.

Kumar Sangakkara: Playing his last Test match for Sri Lanka, all eyes will be on the elegant southpaw. The former Sri Lanka skipper’s Test career is nothing less than extraordinary. He has over 12, 000 runs and 38 Test tons under his belt. Before he walks into the sunset in Colombo, the left-hander would like to get another good knock and help his side seal the series before the third and final Test.