By Rex Clementine, IANS,
Colombo : India will begin their three-match Test series against Sri Lanka with a warm-up match against Board President’s XI at Colombo’s nondescript Cricket Club ground here Friday.
The game will provide the Indians an opportunity to get some practice ahead of the Tests. It is equally crucial for a couple of Sri Lankans as well as the squad for the first Test will only be announced after the warm-up game.
India coach Gary Kirsten confirmed that India in all probability play the same XI they intend to put up for the first Test.
“We will give all the Test players a run. They haven’t had too much cricket in the recent past. It will pretty much be the Test team that will play tomorrow, though we have one or two decisions to make,” Kirsten told reporters after the team’s practice session at the Sinhalese Sports Club here Thursday.
He also indicated that India will open with Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir and there was the possibility of them playing a fifth bowler on the batsmen friendly pitches of Sri Lanka.
“It’s one of the things occupying our thought processes. We are also aware that there is a bit of help for the seamers. But as of now, we haven’t reached a decision on the composition of the squad,” he said.
Teams:
Sri Lanka: Jehan Mubarak (captain), Mahela Udawatte, Upul Tharanga, Chamara Kapugedera, Chamara Silva, Thilina Kandamby, Kaushal Silva (wicketkeeper), Chanaka Welagedera, Sujeewa Silva, Dammika Prasad, Rangana Herath, Dilhara Fernando.
India: Anil Kumble (captain), Rahul Dravid, Gautam Gambhir, Sourav Ganguly, Harbhajan Singh, Dinesh Karthik (wicketkeeper), Zaheer Khan, VVS Laxman, Pragyan Ojha, Munaf Patel, Parthiv Patel (wicketkeeper), Virender Sehwag, Ishant Sharma, Rohit Sharma, R.P. Singh, Sachin Tendulkar,
Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena and Morris dela Zylwa