Now Reading: India face spin test in Galle against Jayasuriya and Mendis
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India face spin test in Galle against Jayasuriya and Mendis
India begin a two-Test series against Sri Lanka in Galle on Saturday, facing a formidable spin duo. Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya has 81 wickets in 11 Tests at the venue, while off-spinner…
The Story in Brief
India begin a two-Test series against Sri Lanka in Galle on Saturday, facing a formidable spin duo. Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya has 81 wickets in 11 Tests at the venue, while off-spinner Ramesh Mendis has 64 in 12 matches, together taking 145 wickets at the ground.
India's batting has struggled against quality spinners recently, losing five of eight home Tests since October 2024. Sri Lanka coach Gary Kirsten said the team has done homework to exploit Indian weaknesses. India arrived 10 days early to prepare, said bowling coach Morne Morkel. The series is critical for India's World Test Championship hopes.
The Indian Opinion
The narrative that Indian batters suddenly cannot play spin ignores the reality that several top-order players are inexperienced. The real test is whether they can adapt to Galle's unique wind and drift that Jayasuriya uses so well. Instead of panicking, watch if India's left-handers, Jaiswal, Pant, Jadeja, can target Mendis, whose average against lefties is 35.9. That number will tell us if India have a plan or just hope.
Sources (2): rediff.com, newindianexpress.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
