Green is the new color for Nagpur
Green is the new color for Nagpur
“Ahead of the second Sri Lanka – India test match, the Orange city sports a new color, ‘Green’. India will look to carry on from where they left in Eden a few days back. Will Lankans be up to it!”
Lack of belief in Sri Lankans
With all the focus on the South Africa tour to be held in January 2018, the current Sri Lanka - India series has almost been reduced to tour games. The fact that the Lankan team is playing less and less like an international test team, gives further credence to this perception. On the first two days of the Eden test match at Kokata, with the conditions favoring the visitors, they almost deservingly shifted the focus back to the current series. But India’s brilliance in the second innings again highlighted the gulf between the two teams.
What is particularly disturbing from Lankans point of view is the fact that they, too, appear to have little belief in their ability against the strong Indian team. The whole talk of creating a miracle or winning a test is more befitting for a team like Zimbabwe, but hardly from a world cup winning team.
Green challenge at Nagpur
In a sharp contrast to the pitch used in the last test match held at Nagpur's VCA Stadium, the pitch this time is lush green. At least before the match day it is. Nobody, except god, can say with certainty how much seam and bounce will the pitch offer but it’s bound to be better than the last time’s pitch.
Team selection
The visitors will have to provide more support to Lakmal, who was almost as good as the entire team combined at Eden. Sri Lankans can get in left-arm quick Vishwa Fernando and hope that he bowls half as good as Lakmal. With all the bashing they have had at the hands of India in the recent times, If they had a player with Pride as his name, he would have definitely got a look in.
The host also have their own selection headaches. They won’t be too bothered about them but would still need to field a team best suited to the surface at Nagpur. Murli Vijay will certainly take the spot vacated by Dhawan. Sorting out the bowling combination would be a little trickier. Both Ashwin and Jadeja had a forgettable outing in the Eden game. However, with weather in Nagpur being sunny and dry, the spinners could have an important role on the last two days of the match. Ideally, India should look to go into the Nagpur match with five bowlers and batsmen each.
The match
In Nagpur or at Newlands, what everyone wants is a competitive game of cricket with proper balance between bat and ball. Nagpur pitch is expected to be exactly that. It will offer something for everyone. The pacers, batsmen and then, perhaps, the spinners on the last two days. If it goes the Eden way, it will also have something for the fans and spectators.
Suggested reading: SL's chance to shift India's focus from South Africa, Thrilling test match at Eden
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