Team news: Three spinners for Bangladesh?
Sri Lanka have to make four changes from the side that played against Australia in February. Karunaratne has retired, Lahiru Kumara is injured while they have dropped Ramesh Mendis and Nishan Peiris. There could be a debut for Udara, while Milan Rathnayake and Dananjaya could form a two-spin, two-pace attack.
ADS
Sri Lanka (likely): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Lahiru Udara, 3 Dinesh Chandimal, 4 Angelo Mathews, 5 Kamindu Mendis, 6 Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), 7 Kusal Mendis (wk), 8 Milan Rathnayake, 9 Prabath Jayasuriya, 10 Akila Dananjaya, 11 Asitha Fernando
Bangladesh are unlikely to fiddle with their top and middle order positions. They could tinker with their bowling attack by including three spinners, which will leave them with just one pace bowling option. There's a slight concern around Mehidy, though, since he was reported to have a fever.
Bangladesh (likely): 1 Shadman Islam, 2 Anamul Haque, 3 Mominul Haque, 4 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Jaker Ali (wk), 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Nayeem Hasan, 9 Taijul Islam, 10 Hasan Murad, 11 Hasan Mahmud
ADS
Pitch and conditions: Rain threat looms
Spinners consumed wickets in Galle, where both the Sri Lanka-Australia Tests were played earlier this year. But in between that there have also been two 600-plus first-innings totals over the last nine months. Pitches are likely to be conducive to slow bowling in this Test too. There's rain forecast on all five days in Galle.
Post a Comment