Lasith Malinga will not figure in the second Test, beginning at the Sinhalese Sports Ground (SSC) here on Monday. The fiery slinger, who harried the Indian line-up with his awkward bounce, air-speed, and two-way swing in the first Test, has been ruled out of the match with a sore right knee.
Malinga fired out seven batsmen in the first Test, with his five for 50 in the second innings - he got the ball to reverse alarmingly - being hugely influential in Sri Lanka's 10-wicket win.
Senior batsman Mahela Jayawardene told The Hindu here on Saturday, "It's nothing serious. It's more of a precautionary thing. We want to preserve him for the World Cup since he is a match-winner."
Chairman of the selection panel, Aravind de Silva, said Malinga's progress will be monitored and expected the fast bowler to be ready for the third Test, starting at the P. Sara Stadium here on August 3.
Both teams have plenty at stake going into the last two Tests. If India is defeated by a margin of 2-0 or more, it will lose its No. 1 ranking in Tests to Sri Lanka. India can stay on top if it manages a win in any of the remaining Tests or draws both the matches.
Sri Lanka will miss Malinga'a thrust as it pursues a historic No. 1 slot. And the host is already without the legendary Muttiah Muralitharan.
Nuwan Pradeep, another young slinger, has replaced Malinga. Sri Lanka, though, is expected to pick either Dilhara Fernando or Dammika Prasad - both pacemen can work up speed - as Chanaka Welegedara's new-ball partner.
Of course, Ajantha Mendis has come in for Muralitharan. His six-wicket innings haul against the Indians in the tour game ahead of the first Test should guarantee him a place in the eleven.
The pitch for the second Test is expected to assist the batsmen. Curator Anirudha Polonwita was busy instructing his staff to cut down grass on the wicket in the afternoon.
“By tomorrow, the pitch should be largely brown. There might be a little grass, but it will be dead grass. There could be some assistance for the pacemen initially and the surface might turn on the last day. For most part the pitch should be full of runs,” he said.
The track was batsmen-friendly in 2008 too but Sri Lanka, declaring its first innings at 600 for six, overwhelmed India by an innings and 239 runs. It was a series where Muralitharan and Mendis formed a deadly partnership.
Subsequently, in the return series in November 2009, the Indian batsmen dominated Mendis in the second Test at Kanpur where the 'mystery' spinner conceded 162 runs for his two wickets.
But then, Mendis's six for 67 in the three-day match against the Indians must have boosted his confidence. And belief is a key attribute for a spinner.
Former Sri Lankan cricketer Ranjith Fernando said, “Mendis definitely offers something to the attack. It's not easy to pick his deliveries. India has a strong line-up but he could still trouble the batsmen.”
Mendis could be a bigger threat in Sri Lanka since the surfaces here offer a tad more bounce than the pitches in India. And Mendis relies on his line, bounce and just a little turn to pick his wickets.
His astonishing 26 scalps in three Tests at 18.38 when India toured Sri Lanka for a Test series last time around will bring back bad memories for the visitors. Yet, how effective will Mendis be without Muralitharan at the other end?
The Indians had an extended practice session in the morning under bright sunshine at the SSC ground. It was good to see Sachin Tendulkar training with Yuvraj Singh. On this tour, Tendulkar appears to have taken the role of a mentor for Yuvraj. On his part, Yuvraj looks up to Tendulkar for inspiration and guidance. Yuvraj still had a few areas around his neck bandaged but appeared in no discomfort. All along, Tendulkar kept a close eye on him.
While the absence of Muralitharan and Malinga would make the job of the Indian batsman easier, they still have to get their act together.
India has to perform as a unit and not as a bunch of individuals.
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