Mendis, Murali pose dynamic spin threat to India
Wednesday, 23 July 2008
COLOMBO, 22 July (Reuters): Ajantha Mendis loomed large as the biggest obstacle to India's chances of claiming a first series win in Sri Lanka for 15 years.
The 23-year-old unorthodox spinner will be making his test debut at the Sinhalese Cricket Club, where the hosts have won seven of the last ten tests, when the opening match of a three-Test series starts today (Wednesday).
Mendis, Sri Lanka's outstanding performer in the recent Asia Cup, will partner world record holder Muttiah Muralitharan and will bowl a perplexing mix of off breaks, leg breaks, googlies and top spinners.
Despite the threat posed by Mendis, former India captain Rahul Dravid warned his team-mates they cannot forget that Sri Lanka have other match-winners.
"It will be a big mistake to focus just on Mendis," Dravid told reporters Monday.
"They have got a couple of other guys (Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas) who have got 1,000 wickets between them."
Dravid also admitted that Sri Lanka at home posed a formidable challenge.
"They have got the right balance in these conditions and they are always a big threat at home," he said.
Squad
Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Kumar Sangakkara, Malinda Warnapura, Thilan Samaweera, Michael Vandort, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedera, Thilan Thushara, Chaminda Vaas, Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Nuwan Kulasekera
India: Anil Kumble (capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Saurav Ganguly, Dimesk Karthik, Parthiv Patel, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Ishant Sharma, Pragyan Ojha, Rohit Sharma, RP Singh.
The 23-year-old unorthodox spinner will be making his test debut at the Sinhalese Cricket Club, where the hosts have won seven of the last ten tests, when the opening match of a three-Test series starts today (Wednesday).
Mendis, Sri Lanka's outstanding performer in the recent Asia Cup, will partner world record holder Muttiah Muralitharan and will bowl a perplexing mix of off breaks, leg breaks, googlies and top spinners.
Despite the threat posed by Mendis, former India captain Rahul Dravid warned his team-mates they cannot forget that Sri Lanka have other match-winners.
"It will be a big mistake to focus just on Mendis," Dravid told reporters Monday.
"They have got a couple of other guys (Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas) who have got 1,000 wickets between them."
Dravid also admitted that Sri Lanka at home posed a formidable challenge.
"They have got the right balance in these conditions and they are always a big threat at home," he said.
Squad
Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Kumar Sangakkara, Malinda Warnapura, Thilan Samaweera, Michael Vandort, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedera, Thilan Thushara, Chaminda Vaas, Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Nuwan Kulasekera
India: Anil Kumble (capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Saurav Ganguly, Dimesk Karthik, Parthiv Patel, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Ishant Sharma, Pragyan Ojha, Rohit Sharma, RP Singh.