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As India gear up for the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, all eyes are on the team combination, particularly the bowling attack. Traditionally, the Galle surface has been a spinner's paradise, leaving the visitors with a selection dilemma when it comes to their pace-bowling options.
India are likely to field three left-arm spinners: two orthodox bowlers in Ravindra Jadeja and Manav Suthar, alongside wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav. In that scenario, and with Jasprit Bumrah unavailable, Mohammed Siraj appears to be the only certainty among the pace options.
While Auqib Nabi is unlikely to be in contention, the battle for the second seamer's spot appears to be between the towering Gurnoor Brar and Prasidh Krishna
India captain Shubman Gill dropped strong hints during the pre-match press conference that Prasidh Krishna could share the new ball with the experienced Siraj. However, he admitted that choosing between the Karnataka pacer and rookie Gurnoor Brar remains a "tough call".
"Gurnoor Brar is excellent with the old ball as he can extract bounce at a good pace. But Prasidh Krishna is bowling well of late, as we saw in the warm-up match. So it's a tough call," Gill said on the eve of the opening Test.
"Jasprit Bumrah is not here, but it's an opportunity for someone to step up. It's all about understanding the pace of the game," he added.
Devdutt Padikkal at No. 3?
Padikkal is expected to slot in at No. 3 in the absence of fellow left-hander Sai Sudharsan, while the under-pressure Dhruv Jurel is likely to retain his place in the middle order despite a string of underwhelming performances in recent Tests.
"Players are going to grow on their own. We need to give them time. Some players require a bit more time," the skipper said, backing his young teammates.
Gill also dismissed speculation surrounding an alleged communication gap between the team management and the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
"There is constant communication with them. Unfortunately, Sai Sudharsan did not recover as much as we would have liked, and we can't take risks in Test cricket. But we are confident about our 15 players," Gill said, putting up a brave front ahead of the series opener.
