Lankans will have to guard against a backlash

Elmo Rodrigopulle

*Winning the toss will be vital

*Sangakkara must be more aggressive

The wicket at the P Sara Stadium promises to be a result oriented one and the side batting first will definitely be at an advantage when the Final Test between India and Sri Lanka begins on Tuesday.

The Lankans who are leading one-nil having won the First Test in Galle are in a bit of a spot with their fast bowling brigade Dhammika Prasad is out and it is likely that Nuwan Pradeep a bowler with tremendous pace making his Test debut. There is grass on the wicket and this right armer has it in him to shock the Indian batting.

Lasith Malinga whom the selectors would love to play, is still not 100 per cent fit and he is a vital cog in the attack and he will be in the frame until just before the start. If he passes a fitness test he will play. Chanaka Welagedera is also in contention.

The Lankan side will be finalized only after a look at the wicket before the toss.

All cylinders

The Indians will fire all cylinders against Sri Lanka in an endeavour to level the series and go back with their heads held high.

Once again the winning of the toss will play a vital role. Mahendra Singh Dhoni who had the mortification of losing both tosses, will be asking his gods to look benignly on him at the third time of asking, so that he could dictate terms. His captaincy might come under the microscope if he fails this time too. It is hoped that the wicket prepared for the Final Test will have life in it and allow both, batsmen and bowlers to show their true capabilities and also allow the spectators watching the proceedings on the ground and on the box to enjoy it.

Backlash

The Lankans will have to guard against a backlash from the Indians and if they are to keep their one-nil lead will have to play from out of their skins to save this one and win the series and sport the Micromax Cup on their shelves.

If the wickets tends to be like the flat one it was at the SSC, then spectators better keep off and those watching it on the box, better watch some other program. And if they do just that they cannot be faulted.

After making a massive 642 for 4 declared, that the Sri Lankans could not probe for victory was sad. Captain Kumar Sangakkara had a lot of runs to gamble and take risks in an endeavour to pile on the pressure upset the batsmen and lure the Indians to their demise.

Negative

But sadly his captaincy left much to be desired. It was certainly not in keeping with this level of the game.

Attack does not seem to be his forte. His field placings bordered on the negative, bowling changes lacked imagination and he also failed to talk to his bowlers and urge them on and support them. Urgency seems to be lacking in him.

Handing over the ball to the bowlers and then folding his hands and standing in the position that he is fielding is not what captaincy is all about. Maybe that was the reason, the selectors thrust the vice captaincy on former Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardena.

As for Jayawardena there was no doubt that he was our best captain, until he prematurely chucked it as there was no support forthcoming from those who mattered.

But Jayawardena not wanting to embarrass his skipper would not have ventured to tell him how to go.

We hope that the think tanks in charge of the game would have had a chat with Sangakkara and galvanized him and let’s hope he will be in the attacking mode in this Test.