7:49 PM
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India Eager to Get Back to Winning Ways Against Sri LankaIndia will look to put behind the disappointment of their one-day drubbing at the hands of Australia and bounce back to winning ways when they take on Sri Lanka in the first match of a three-Test series starting in Ahmedabad on Monday.
For this to happen, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men would have to switch into the Test mode from the more frenetic one-day frame of mind when they go into the first Test at the Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium in Motera.
The Indian team has had a non-stop dish of limited-over cricket, 50-over and Twenty20, over the last six months and played their last Test series against New Zealand in March-April early this year.
The Indian middle order has been bolstered by the return of Test specialists Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, who were not part of the squad that lost to Australia after squandering a 2-1 lead by losing the next three matches in-a-row.
Both Dravid and Laxman, especially the former, are coming into the match on the back of some good displays in the Ranji Trophy and would be eager to hit the straps.
As for Sri Lanka, after having won the series against Pakistan and New Zealand, the team is packed with confidence and brimming with enthusiasm. By clinching the series they wish to give the spin-wizard, Murlidharan, a befitting farewell before he retires from overseas cricket.
Since their first Test visit in 1982, Sri Lanka has played 14 matches with India and has failed to defeat it on its homesoil. But now with newcomers like Herath and Kandamby and hard hitters like Sangakkara, Jayawardene and Samarweera at the crease, it is very hopeful as it boasts of a balanced side, with a strong spin attack and a good batting order.
The schedule for the ensuing series lined up between Sri Lanka and India is as follows:
Nov 16-20, first Test Match at Ahmedabad which will begin at 9:30 IST
Nov 24-28, Second Test Match at Kanpur, scheduled time, 0930 IST
Dec2-6, Third Test at Mumbai, at 0930 IST.
Dec 9th, First T20 at Nagpur. This will be a day and night match beginning at2000 IST.
Dec 12th, Second T20 at Mohali, a day night match beginning at 2000 IST.
Dec 15th First ODI at Rajkot, at 0900 IST
Dec 18th, Second ODI at Vishakhapatnam at 1430 IST.
Dec 21st, Third ODI at Cuttack at 1430 IST.
Dec 24th, Fourth ODI at Kolkota at 1430 IST
Dec 27th, Fifth ODI at Delhi at 1430 IST.
In the wake of attacks on the Sri Lankan team in Pakistan, Lorence Fernando , a security consultant is visiting all the venues where the matches are scheduled, to have a first hand overview of the security arrangements made for the ensuing matches. He looked satisfied.
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