Colombo: India’s Test preparations in Sri Lanka face rain threat
India’s Preparations Underway
The Indian cricket team has begun its preparations in Colombo for the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka. Head coach Gautam Gambhir expressed confidence in the team’s readiness, stating that they will be prepared for any challenge by the start of the first Test. The squad arrived in Sri Lanka 11 days before the series opener scheduled for August 15 in Galle.
The team held its initial practice session at the Nondescripts Cricket Club in Colombo. The weather was clear for the morning session, followed by an intense afternoon session on a humid day. The schedule includes sufficient practice sessions and a three-day warm-up fixture to help the team acclimatise to the local conditions.
Six of the 15 squad members have prior experience with Sri Lankan conditions, having participated in two matches during the India A vs Sri Lanka A series last month.
Weather Concerns for Warm-up Match
A three-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka XI is scheduled to begin on Friday at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground in Colombo. However, the weather forecast indicates a high chance of rain, including heavy showers, from Friday morning through Sunday afternoon. This could significantly impact the amount of play and hinder India’s preparations for the first Test.
The forecast predicts a 90 per cent chance of rain on Friday morning, with approximately 9.4 mm of rainfall expected. Temperatures are anticipated to be around 30°C, with humidity potentially reaching 78 per cent and cloud cover at 99 per cent. Visibility could be reduced to around 5 km. The weather is not expected to improve significantly in the afternoon, with a 70 per cent chance of rain and an additional 4.9 mm of rainfall forecast.
This warm-up match is crucial for India’s batters to prepare for Sri Lanka’s spin attack, which has posed challenges in recent home Test series against New Zealand and South Africa. Captain Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and Yashasvi Jaiswal have already practiced against spin before arriving in Colombo, but batting on Sri Lankan pitches in match conditions would offer a more realistic test.
Squad Adjustments and Objectives
The Indian team has faced mixed results in the longest format recently, including a drawn series in England and a 0-2 loss to South Africa. Scheduling issues were noted as a factor in the preparation for the South Africa series. However, for this tour, the Test squad is well-rested and has ample time for preparation.
There are some injury concerns, with Jasprit Bumrah and Washington Sundar unavailable, at least for the first Test. The 14 available players, excluding Sai Sudharsan who awaits clearance, are reported to be fit. The team also has net bowlers Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Vipraj Nigam, and Shivang Kumar to assist in preparations.
Mohammed Siraj is set to lead the pace attack, supported by Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Manav Suthar, and Saransh Jain. Brar and Jain previously performed well for India A against Sri Lanka A in Galle last month. To maintain their hopes for World Test Championship final qualification, India aims for a 2-0 series victory.
The next three weeks are seen as an opportunity for the team management and squad to find answers to ongoing questions and to regain their form in Test cricket before the first Test begins on August 15.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Priya Menon 