Mohali: The Test series between India and Sri Lanka begins today. The match will be played at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Stadium in Mohali.
The climate in Punjab is favorable for competition. There is no chance of rain for these five days. The pitch has traditionally been in favor of spin. India is stronger in team strength than Sri Lanka. He also has a good record once morest Sri Lanka. The match was hailed as the 100th Test by former captain Virat Kohli. Kohli is the fourth Indian to play 300 ODIs and 100 Tests. Kohli is the 12th Indian to achieve this feat in Tests. Fans expect him to end his wait for the 71st century with the 100th Test. Kohli last scored a century in a Test match once morest Bangladesh in 2019. He needed 38 more runs to reach the 8000 club. If he scores a century, he can break the record with Ricky Ponting.
Rohit Sharma’s Test match captain Rohit Sharma’s debut match will also feature. He had the opportunity to lead a limited overs team but was unable to achieve this feat in the Tests. With the departure of Kohli, Rohit has the opportunity to lead India in all three formats.
It has been a long time since India played a Test match without Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara. They have been in bad form for the last three years. Given several chances to come back but might not show excellence. With that, both of them froze. Wriddhiman Saha and Ishant Sharma will also miss the series. India can top the Test rankings if they win the series once morest Sri Lanka. The series between Pakistan and Australia starting today will affect the rankings but if they continue to perform well, they have a chance to top the list.
India’s off-spinner R. Ashwin. Former skipper and all-rounder Kapil Dev is trying to overtake him in the Test wicket hunt. With four more dismissals, Ashwin might overtake Kapil to become India’s second highest wicket-taker in Test cricket. Kapil has taken 434 wickets in 131 Tests. Ashwin took 430 wickets in 88 Tests. Former captain Anil Kumble, who took 619 wickets in 132 Tests, is the captain. Ashwin has the opportunity to surpass the achievements of New Zealand’s Richard Hadley (431), Sri Lanka’s Rangana Herath (433) and South Africa’s Dale Steyn (439).
Shubhman Gill, Hanuma Vihari and Shreyas Iyer will play at number three in the first Test. Kuldeep Yadav or Jayant Yadav will play as spinners. Sri Lanka have Kushal Mendid out of injury but will not play in the first Test. Niroshan Dickwella will play the wicket-keeper.
Probables: India – Rohit Sharma (captain), Mayank Agarwal, Shubhman Gill / Hanuma Vihari / Shreyas Iyer, Virat Kohli, Shubhman Gill / Hanuma Vihari / Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja. Ashwin, Jayant Yadav / Kuldeep Yadav / Saurabh Kumar, Mohammad Siraj / Mohammad Shami / Umesh Yadav, Jaspreet Bumra.
Probable team: Sri Lanka – Dimuth Karunaratne (captain), Lahiru Thirimanne, Pathum Nisanka, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal / Charitha Asalanka, Niroshan Dickwella, Suranga Lakmalvi, Lasith McVeavie Embulda /
