Hat-trick here?

Rohit Sharma & Co will look to register India’s third victory in day-night Tests at home as they face Sri Lanka in the second and final fixture at Chinnaswamy today

Bangalore: Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid will look to extend a sequence that began under the previous management team of Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri as India go into the second Test against Sri Lanka determined to complete a hat-trick of victories in pink-ball, day-night Test cricket at home.

Under Kohli, India swept to commanding wins against Bangladesh in Kolkata (November 2019) and England in Ahmedabad (February 2021). The two matches combined ended well inside five days. While the former was set up by pace, the England triumph was fashioned by spin, and left-armer Axar Patel in particular.

Axar Patel may play

Patel finished with incredible match figures of 11 for 70 as spinners picked up 19 of the 20 wickets to capitulate. That was in direct contrast to what happened at the Eden two-and-a-half years back, when the pacers took all 19 Bangladesh wickets—Mahmudullah retired hurt with a hamstring injury.

Patel’s exploits had little to do with turn. Nine of his 11 victims were either bowled or trapped leg before, speaking to the pace and skid the pink SG Test ball gathered on pitching, thanks in the main to its 
heavier lacquer. 

Series sweep on the cards

It will be no surprise, therefore, if a fit-again Patel slots back into the playing XI at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday when Rohit will begin his quest to add a Test series sweep in his maiden attempt to similar outcomes in both limited-overs varieties.

If Patel does win the nod ahead of paceman Mohammed Siraj, it will be in place of Jayant Yadav, who only played a bit part in Mohali. It will also mean the beleaguered visitors will have their hands even fuller, against an already menacing Indian attack by vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, R Ashwin and Mohali Player of the Match Ravindra Jadeja.

The Chinnaswamy, hosting an international after 26 months, will welcome back spectators to full capacity for the first time in India since the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic. 

SL need to raise their game

Nothing will delight the fans more than standout performances from local lad Mayank Agarwal and adopted son of the soil, Virat Kohli, without an international hundred since 2019.

Sri Lanka, one eye already on the flight back home, will need to raise their game several levels if they are to stretch the hosts. Kusal Mendis is set to return to bolster the batting and they must find a replacement for injured paceman Lahiru Kumara. 

Dealt a blow when the medical team in Colombo ruled out the reinduction into Test cricket of strapping right-arm quick Dushmantha Chameera, they are likely to plump for left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrama.

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