Follow UsSri Lanka were no match to India in the three-match T20I series but will be expected to put up a much better fight in the two-match Test series, starting on Friday (March 4) in Mohali. This is the first time Rohit Sharma will be leading India in whites. This Test is also going to be memorable for Virat Kohli who is set to become the 12th Indian player to feature in 100 Tests. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka have never won a Test in India but this team surely has all the ingredients, especially in the batting department, to challenge Rohit and his men in their own backyard.
Ground details
The Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali hasn’t hosted a single Test since November 2016. However, India did play a Test against South Africa here in 2015 and against England in 2016, with spinners doing most of the damage. The surface in Mohali always offers something to the fast bowlers but you would still expect the likes of R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Lasith Embuldeniya and Praveen Jayawickrama to do most of the damage. However, it would still be ideal to have at least two seamers in your team.
Team suggestion
Captain selection
Only Joe Root has scored more runs than Rohit Sharma in Test cricket since 2021. The Indian captain has slammed 906 runs in 21 innings at an average of 47.68. Overall, the right-hander opener averages close to 80 in 27 home Tests and it’s very difficult to look past him while picking the captain of your side. On top of that, Rohit has an average of close to 60 against Sri Lanka and would be eager to stamp his authority in his first match as Test captain.
Our Criclytics Player Projector predicts Rohit to score between 98-147 runs in the first Test.
X-factors
It would be foolish to not have R Ashwin in your team if India are playing a Test at home. The offspinner is just five wickets away from surpassing Kapil Dev and becoming India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket. Ashwin has scalped 300 wickets in 49 home Tests at a stunning average of 21.4 and that should be enough to convince you why he should be in your team. On top of that, he could also get you some crucial points batting lower down the order.
The core of Sri Lanka’s batting unit is their captain and left-handed opener, Dimuth Karunaratne. The 33-year-old is the third-highest run-getter in Test cricket since 2021, having scored 902 runs in 13 innings at an average of 69.38. Karunaratne will have to lead from the front if Sri Lanka want to win their first Test in India.
Dhananjaya de Silva is going to be the key man for Sri Lanka in the middle-order. Since 2020, de Silva has an average of close to 65, which moves up to almost 80 against spinners. Not just that, against spin, the right-hander only gets dismissed once in 142.4 deliveries. In his last Test innings, the 30-year-old smashed 155* against West Indies and helped Sri Lanka win the game despite conceding a lead in the first innings.
Probable XIs
India - Rohit Sharma (c), Mayank Agarwal, Hanuma Vihari, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill/Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammad Shami/Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj.
Sri Lanka - Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Lahiru Thirimanne, Pathum Nissanka, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Lasith Embuldeniya, Praveen Jayawickrama, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera/Lahiru Kumara.