India v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test: Sri Lanka Predicted XI

Sri Lanka obviously didn’t start as favourites in the ongoing 3-match Test series after the way they were manhandled by India in their own conditions a couple of months back. But if they were told at the start of the Kolkata Test that the game would be a draw, the visitors would have taken it with both hands. So the start of the series hasn’t been bad for them at all.

However, on the basis of that result, it can’t be concluded that they are suddenly a much-improved team from what they were when they had played India at home. That they have massive chunks in their armoury got exposed on the 4th and the 5th day at Eden Gardens. If it wasn’t for bad light, they might actually have lost the Test match despite having a first innings lead of 122.

The second Test match that starts on 24th of November in Nagpur will be an opportunity for Sri Lanka to make a statement to everyone that their dominance on the first three days of the Kolkata Test was not a mere fluke and they are capable of doing that again. Here is Sri Lanka’s predicted XI for the second game:

Openers- Dimuth Karunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama

Although both these openers failed twice in Kolkata, they are more than likely to get another go. Karunaratne is anyway a certainty for Sri Lanka in Test matches given how he has performed in the whites in the last 12 to 18 months. He has probably been Sri Lanka’s best batsman in this format of the game in the recent past.

Samarawickrama is a young player and only has a couple of appearances to his name at this level so far. He seems to be an aggressive batsman who has got a wide range of shots and Sri Lanka will be patient with him at the top of the order for a little while.

Middle Order- Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal

The middle order is where Sri Lanka have got a fair bit of experience. Thirimanne, Mathews and Chandimal have been around in the Test circuit for quite a long time and their presence does give the middle order of the visitors’ a solid look. The trio has been in good form of late. While Thirimanne and Mathews got half centuries in Kolkata, the skipper Chandimal was Sri Lanka’s best batsman during the series against Pakistan which they won 2-nil.

Wicketkeeper- Niroshan Dickwella

Dickwella has been an impact player for Sri Lanka in Test matches this year. Whether it’s the home series against India or the away series against Pakistan, he has played those crucial little cameos batting at no. 6 and 7 that have made a difference for Sri Lanka.

All-rounder- Dasun Shanaka

Dasun Shanaka was selected as the all-rounder for Kolkata Test, a decision which some of the pundits were not convinced with as they thought Shanaka is only a part-time bowler and Sri Lanka would have been better off going with a genuine third quick.

But to be fair to him, the right-armer did the job of the third seamer as well as anyone else as he finished the game with 5 wickets. As the Indian team is preparing for the upcoming South Africa tour, the pitches in the next two matches are also expected to be green tops which means Sri Lanka would want three seam bowling options again and after how Shanaka bowled in Kolkata, they will persist with him at no. 7.

Fast bowlers- Suranga Lakmal, Vishwa Fernando

Lakmal put up a brilliant display of his skills in Kolkata as he found the conditions to his liking and when the ball is moving around he can be as dangerous as anyone in the business. His partner Lahiru Gamage though will be disappointed with the lines that he bowled in the match. He was often too wide to the right-handers and thus couldn’t keep the pressure on the batters.

Sri Lanka might want to give Gamage a break and bring in the left-arm fast bowler Vishwa Fernando who will swing the ball back into the right-handers and thus will add a different dimension to Sri Lanka’s bowling.

Spinners- Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera

Ranagan Herath is coming off a very successful series against Pakistan and he would like to replicate that success against the Indian batsmen too who have played him fairly easily in the past. Although the veteran didn’t have much to do in Kolkata with the ball, he would be looking forward to making a mark in Nagpur.

Perera will be the second spinner in the Sri Lankan XI. The visitors have got another option in the squad in the form of Lakshan Sandakan who is a talented chinaman bowler and had got a fifer in the last Test of the home series against India, but Perera’s experience and the fact that he is quite handy with the bat suggest Sri Lanka will go with him.