NAGPUR: Sri Lanka used to be a force to be reckon with, especially in their own backyard. However, they are going through a transitional phase for the last two years. Just a couple of months back, they were whitewashed by India in Tests, One-day and Twenty20 series.
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Nobody gave them any chance against Pakistan but they turned it around with some fighting performance and won the series 2-0. Nobody expected them to put up fight in the series opener in Kolkata but they showed a lot of character and made India sweat.
Skipper
Dinesh Chandimal is hopeful that his boys will win a maiden Test in India. "India are a very good side. It is a big challenge for us as a team to come here and win a game or a series. But I am sure we can do some miracle here. We have to do our basics, stick to our game plans. In the middle we have to execute our game plans. If we can do that we can put the Indians under pressure. We are looking at that as a team," Chandimal said in a pre-match presser on Thursday.
After a spirited performance in Kolkata, the mood in Sri Lanka camp is quite upbeat. They looked a different side with a changed attitude. "We learned a lot from the last Indian series in Sri Lanka. The most important thing is we came here to win the series. Our attitude has changed. Oour fielding also has made a huge difference. There's a lot of energy. We have looked at a six-five combination or six-four plus allrounder. That's the combination we are looking at. Most importantly, we have come here with a mindset to win a Test match," he said.
Much like his Indian counterpart, Chandimal also feels Jamtha wicket will aid seamers but not like Kolkata. "(There's) not much grass (on wicket) like Calcutta. We saw so much grass at the
Eden Gardens
. This is much less. This looks a good Test pitch. It's a challenge for us as a team. We are looking forward for the game," he said.
With grass on the wicket,
Rangana Herath couldn't do much in Kolkata. Chandimal, however, is confident that the ace Sri Lankan spinner will play a significant role in Nagpur. "On this wicket, (Rangana) Herath can be handy. On a green top at the Eden, he wasn't as effective," Chandimal said.