Sri Lanka will walk into their first Test

Sri Lanka will walk into their first Test in 15 years without Kumar Sangakkara or Mahela Jayawardene in their team at the third and final Test match starting from today at Pallekele.
The match will be the decider of the series, as the two teams have tied the series 1-1 so far even though both those matches were interrupted several times due to rain which will also be the case in Pallekele too.
“This is the first match without those two (Kumar and Mahela), and sometimes it’ll be hard but we have to get on with it and play our natural game. We are going for the win even though we may lose the series by attempting so,” said Lahiru Thirimanne the Vice Captain of the side.
Upul Tharanga has been brought in to replace Sangakkara who isn’t available for this mach due to his contract with Surrey, and Thirimanne predicted that Tharanga will straightaway walk into the number three position. “It (Tharanga at number 3) will be the long term choice. Hopefully Tharanga will perform and establish his position,” said Thirimanne.
Thirimanne also reckoned that Pallekale traditionally will assist fast bowlers hence they would prefer to go with three fast bowlers and one spinner, even though the home team’s young fast bowling prospect Dushmantha Chameera is suffering from injury.
“Chameera is suffering from a side strain and he is 50-50 at the moment, He will have to undergo a fitness test tomorrow.”
The leader of the attack, Rangana Herath may be given a rest in the third Test as the home team may go with young Tharindu Kaushal who was busy at training yesterday while Rangana Herath took the day off. Herath was out of touch during last two matches taking 2 wickets for 218 runs.
Also there is a possibility of bringing back Kusal Perera to number seven instead of Kithuruwan Vithanage who hasn’t done much to justify his place from the last two Tests.
Meanwhile, Pakistan will do two obvious changes as Mohammad Hafeez and Wahab Riaz are set to miss the second Test with opener Shan Masood who was in good form during Pakistan ‘A’ series set to take the guard along with Ahmed Shehzad.
Hafeez has been granted an Indian Visa after early rejection and will leave the country today to his bowling Test in Chennai after being reported for a suspect bowling action during the first Test in Galle.
Sri Lanka Squad : Angelo Mathews (Captain), Kaushal Silva, Dimuth Karunaratne, Upul Tharanga, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal, Kithuruwan Vithanage, Jehan Mubarak, Kusal Perera, Dilruwan Perera, Tharindu Kaushal, Dammika Prasad, Rangana Herath, Nuwan Pradeep, Dushmantha Chameera, Suranga Lakmal
Pakistan squad: Ahmed Shehzad, Shan Masood, Azhar Ali (vc), Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Haris Sohail, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Yasir Shah, Zulfiqar Babar, Junaid Khan, Imran Khan, Ehsan Adil.
“Sri Lanka will be without two of their big players for the first time from a long time and there won’t be a better opportunity for us to win the series,” said visiting skipper Misbah ul-Haq who made his intentions clear before the deciding Test.
Misbah also said that they too will be keen to go with three fast bowlers. He added that leg spinner Yasir Shah who has been threatening Sri Lanka right throughout the series is someone who could be effective at any venue. Pakistan’s most experienced player, Younis Khan has not clicked during the series as he usually does in Sri Lanka.
“No worries, he is a kind of player who could really score big runs from nowhere. From these sort of players, a big innings is always around the corner and that could be today (Friday),” said Misbah.
Either team who will win the series will occupy the number three position of the ranking which will be another reason for the two teams to go for the kill. Pakistan and Sri Lanka remain at number 6 and 7 respectively at the ranking with points 97 and 96 respectively.