Lankans on an epoch-making tour of India

The Sri Lankan cricketers led by Kumar Sangakkara will be making a tour of India soon which could be an epoch-making one, considering that they have never won a Test, one-day or Twenty20 series in India.

Whether the Lankans could secure that elusive series victory would be interesting to watch and would be followed by cricket fans here with more than ordinary interest. The Lankan cricketers are slated to play three Test matches, two Twenty20 and five 50-over one day internationals on a tour that would last nearly two months.

It is going to be one helluva tour and it is not going to be a cake walk considering that we will be fronting up to the might of India in their own backyard. Not many teams have tasted success in India and come away having won a series.

Indians no easy meat

Thus the Sri Lankans when they take the field they would be up against it considering that the Indians are not going to be easy meat. The conditions, the wickets, atmosphere and with wildly cheering home supporters to urge the Indians home, it would be like conquering cricket’s Mount Everest for the Lankans if they were to beat India.

Lanka’s cricket at the moment is not what it should be. Defeats against India in the Compaq final at the R.Premadasa Stadium, followed by the gutless performance in the ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa, has left our cricket in tatters.

Before embarking on this tour, the Lankans must give priority to fielding. Their fielding in South Africa was a disgrace to say the least. One hopes that this malaise would not cling to them like a plague and continue to exhibit untidy ground fielding and butter-fingered catching.

The adage that catches win matches should have been hammered into every cricketer when he first begins to handle the willow. To be told of that adage at national level shows poor coaching and an indictment on who ever the coaches were of the players at junior level.

Junior cricketers

The Sri Lankan junior cricketers met with encouraging success in Australia, because the selectors watched the ones vying for places very closely, and picked the best available on merit leaving no room for allegations like favouritism etc.

The selectors have acted similarly when picking the squad to India, and have left no room for criticism and for allegations to be made or for the media to begin a crusade saying that the best men have not been picked and leave room for the media to ask Gamini Lokuge, Minister of Sports and Recreation to take his stance and shuffle the team accepted that the selectors cannot please everyone all the time. They are also human and would tend to make mistakes. But when it comes to national selections cannot afford to be accused of having made mistakes.

With former Sri Lanka all rounder Asantha de Mel as chairman guiding the selectors they have done a good job and picked a squad of 15 that seems to be balanced in all departments. Cricketers, lovers of the game, the cricket loving public and the media cannot find fault with the selections.

Not granted

It is learnt that skipper Sangakkara had requested for the inclusion of tear away fast bowler Dilhara Fernando. But had not been successful. The selectors would not have been faulted had they adhered to the skipper’s request.

Fernando has been ignored for far too long and had he been included he would have added muscle to the pace attack.

We would have liked to see the inclusion of Nondescript’s stylish batsman, the young and promising Dinesh Chandimal. Those in the know predict a bright future for the lad.

Had he made it, it would have helped him to get a feel of what Test and international cricket is all about and would have been of help to him in the future.

Preparation of wickets

While India and Sri Lanka will have batsmen who can deliver, the home side would be vary of the wickets they make. Although the International Cricket Council has tabooed it, it is no secret that home teams prepare wickets to suit the home team bowlers.

Generally the Indians are known to prepare spin friendly wickets. But this time round with Sri Lanka having three of the best spinners in world cricket Muttiah Muralitheram, Ajantha Mendis and Rangana Herath, the Indians might fight shy of preparing wickets that would suit tweakers.

It would warm the cockles of the Indian selectors now that Sewag and Yuraj Singh have recovered from injury and are available to take their places in the team. Sewag is back to form and if the manner in which he batted in the Airtel Champions Twenty20 trophy tournament is an indication then he should score heavily.

Yuvraj Singh is a batsman who can brutalize any attack in any form of the game. Fours and sixes come naturally to this brilliant all rounder once he is on a roll. He is elegant and can be devastating blessed with strokes all round the wicket.

Innings, Innings, Innings

When a tour of India is looming, one series that comes to mind and one that will never be forgotten was the tour of India by the 1994 team led by Arjuna Ranatunga. The results of that tour is something for Ripley’s Believe it or not series.

The Lankans took wing for a Three Test series. The First Test ended on the fourth day before lunch with an innings win for India under the captaincy of Mohammed Azharuddin. ACCEPTED.

Then the Second Test too ended in an innings victory for India on the fourth day before lunch. UNBELIEVABLE.

Then Ripley would be interested in including this drama in his Believe it or not series, because to the amazement of the cricketing world the Third Test too ended in an innings victory for the Indians on the fourth day before lunch. MYSTIFYING. This story is true.