Virat Kohli and his troops are gunning for their first ever series
whitewash in Sri Lanka when they take on the hosts in the third and the
final Test at Pallekele, starting Saturday.
The visitors have already taken an
unassailable lead in the three-match series,after comprehensively
beating the Islanders in the first two Tests respectively.
This is the first time ever that India have managed to take a 2-0 lead in a Test series in Sri Lanka and have a chance to complete a thumping series win against their less illustrious opponents.
Since 2000, only Australia have managed to win all the matches in a Test series in Sri Lanka. Australia crushed the Lankans 3-0 in the 2003/04 series and Kohli's boys are on the verge of repeating that feat
However, India will find it difficult to do so as they aren't familiar with the conditions in Pallekele. The third Test will be the first time when India will be playing at this venue. And to add to that, a visiting team has won just a single Test at this venue when Pakistan came out victorious in 2015.
Still, the Lankans cannot be too gung-ho about the visiting team's record at this venue as they own record isn't that great. In the five Tests that they have played at this stadium, the Islanders have won just one, lost one and drawn three.
Injuries to their star players have added to the hosts' misery. Their number one bowler, Rangana Herath, for the third Test. While all-rounder Asela Gunaratne are already out of the series.
With form firmly by their side, India will he hoping for a historic 3-0 win in their first series under the stewardship of new head coach Ravi Shastri.
Squads:
India: Virat Kohli(c), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, Wriddhiman Saha, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Abhinav Mukund, Axar Patel
Sri Lanka: Upul Tharanga, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal(c), Nuwan Pradeep, Malinda Pushpakumara, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Gamage
This is the first time ever that India have managed to take a 2-0 lead in a Test series in Sri Lanka and have a chance to complete a thumping series win against their less illustrious opponents.
Since 2000, only Australia have managed to win all the matches in a Test series in Sri Lanka. Australia crushed the Lankans 3-0 in the 2003/04 series and Kohli's boys are on the verge of repeating that feat
However, India will find it difficult to do so as they aren't familiar with the conditions in Pallekele. The third Test will be the first time when India will be playing at this venue. And to add to that, a visiting team has won just a single Test at this venue when Pakistan came out victorious in 2015.
Still, the Lankans cannot be too gung-ho about the visiting team's record at this venue as they own record isn't that great. In the five Tests that they have played at this stadium, the Islanders have won just one, lost one and drawn three.
Injuries to their star players have added to the hosts' misery. Their number one bowler, Rangana Herath, for the third Test. While all-rounder Asela Gunaratne are already out of the series.
With form firmly by their side, India will he hoping for a historic 3-0 win in their first series under the stewardship of new head coach Ravi Shastri.
Squads:
India: Virat Kohli(c), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, Wriddhiman Saha, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Abhinav Mukund, Axar Patel
Sri Lanka: Upul Tharanga, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal(c), Nuwan Pradeep, Malinda Pushpakumara, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Gamage
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