COLOMBO // India and Sri Lanka will move into today's third and final cricket Test making one change to the teams that played in the second Test at the Galle International stadium that India won to level the series. The wicket-keeper batsman Parthiv Patel comes in to replace Dinesh Karthik, who played below expectations in the first two Tests. Sri Lanka have dropped the paceman Nuwan Kulasekera, whose place could be taken by either Thilina Thushara or the uncapped Dhammika Prasad.
"We have made one change with Parthiv coming in for Karthik," said the Indian captain Anil Kumble. "This was one area we had to improve going into the deciding game. We came back well after the first Test to level the series and now looking forward continue with that good form for a series triumph." The Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene, however, said that the playing eleven will be picked after a team meeting.
"We need to have a team discussion to take a final decision on who will be in the start-up. We have lacked a bit of pace and were not able to hurry the batsman enough. We bowled tidy spells but we need to attack the batsmen," said Jayawardena. India have not won a series in Sri Lanka since 1993 under Mohammed Azharuddin and stand a better chance than the hosts of wrapping up the series, after staging a stunning recovery in the second Test after losing the opener by an innings.
India will be facing Muttiah Muralitharan on his home ground and an exciting fare is on the cards, according to Jayawardena. "Murali enjoys bowling at the Oval. He enjoys all grounds in Sri Lanka, to be fair to him. But the Oval is his home ground and he'll be keen to go out there and perform. I would like to think Ajantha will continue with his good performance," he said "It has been the spinners that have been among the wickets for us so far, but we need the new ball bowlers to set them a good platform. This has been an area of concern for us, but hopefully we can get a decent combination for this game."
Muralitharan returned with figures of 5-200 in the Galle match after his 11-wicket haul in the opening Test at the SSC. He is expected to come back strongly for the decider. The Indians would also be expecting a strength of character from their Fab Four - Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Saurav Ganguly and VVS Laxman - to fire in the middle order. The island nation Tigers haven't lost a game ever since Test cricket returned to the P Saravanamuttu stadium, popularly known as the Oval, in July 2002.
It is also the ground Sri Lanka played their first Test and later recorded their first Test victory. The pitch is said to be hard and bouncy. Scattered thunderstorms have been forecast for the five days, but the overcast conditions haven't robbed the fans of results in the first two Tests. Meanwhile, India have recalled a fit-again Tendukar and Zaheer Khan for the one-day series starting Aug 18 while Harbhajan Singh returns after serving out a ban for slapping compatriot S Sreesanth during the IPL.
The selectors picked up Virat Kohli as another young face while Ishant Sharma has been rested to keep him fresh for the Champions Trophy and against the visiting Australians next. Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be back to lead the team against Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy, after missing the Tests. Dhoni was rested after playing nonstop cricket for a couple of years. @Email:apassela@thenational.ae
