*Official* India in Sri Lanka
 

Tour Schedule

1st Test, 7th February

Sri Lanka vs India, Asgiriya Stadium, Kandy

2nd Test, 9th February

Sri Lanka vs India,

R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

3rd Test, 10th February

Sri Lanka vs India, Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo



1st One Day International, 12th February

Sri Lanka vs India, R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

2nd One Day International, 14th February

Sri Lanka vs India, P.Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo (hosting first ODI since September 1994)

3rd One Day International, 16th February

Sri Lanka vs India, Asgiriya Stadium, Kandy

4th One Day International, 18th February

Sri Lanka vs India, Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo

5th One Day International, 20th February

Sri Lanka vs India, Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo

6th One Day International, 22nd February

Sri Lanka vs India, Asgiriya Stadium, Kandy

7th One Day International, 23rd February

Sri Lanka vs India, R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

India Name Test Squad
Pathan, Sehwag given chance

Indian selectors have named their 14-man squad for the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka that will get underway on the 7th of February. There were a few suprises, especially the inclusion of Virender Sehwag and Irfan Pathan, both having disappointed in their last chance for the national team. However team morale was high as the Indians landed in Sri Lanka, with captain Rahul Dravid relishing the tough challenge after coming off a 2-1 loss in South Africa.

It was their batting that faltered in that series due to pace and bounce, but with the Sri Lankan attack looking weak aside from the obvious threats of Muralitharan and Vaas the star-studded line-up will be looking to take full advantage of the flat pitches.

India Squad

R Dravid (c), SR Tendulkar, W Jaffer, G Gambhir, V Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, VVS Laxman, MS Dhoni (wk), A Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, MM Patel, S Sreesanth, Zaheer Khan, IK Pathan

Sri Lankan First Test XII Named

There were no real suprises with the initial 12 Sri Lankan players named for the first test match against their sub continent neighbours, India, being played in Kandy on the 7th.

Mahela Jayawardene will lead an experienced team including superstars Sangakkara, Muralitharan, Vaas and Jayasuriya against the star-studded Indian line up in what critics believe could be one of the greatest test series of the year.

"The Sri Lankan's are arguebly the second best team in the world at the moment, going off their recent form in both test and one day matches!" said Tony Greig in his column in the second worst newspaper in the world, the only paper that would hire him.

"Their batsmen are in fine form, and well, their bowling attack is second to none with the likes of Murali and Chaminda in there. Malinga is one to watch too, i've heard. I wouldn't know, really, but it's what i've heard."

Sri Lankan 1st Test XII

DPMD Jayawardene (captain), WU Tharanga, ST Jayasuriya, KC Sangakkara, CK Kapugedera, TM Dilshan, LPC Silva, HAPW Jayawardene (+), WPUJC Vaas, MF Maharoof, SL Malinga, M Muralitharan.

Given the presence of Pathan, Sri Lanka to take it in the gloom on day 5.

Pretty happy that Tony Greig's writing. Looking forward to reading his work.

Errr....Demeza..Could I have England by any chance..Seeing as India and SL are taken already.

(y)

Indian XI
 

India Name Team

On the eve of the first Test match Indian team management have named their preferred team to take on Sri Lanka. Opting to go with two spinners and three fast bowlers could turn out to be a risk, but with batting legends like Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar the gamble looks less risky than it would with other teams. Virender Sehwag retains his opening spot but has been put on notice, the Indian team need him to score runs and he can no longer rely on his past acheivements.

Sreesanth was the unlucky seamer to miss out, but with Irfan Pathan giving the lower order some solid batting ability it was a move based on players being able to multi-task. Yuvraj Singh will be the 12th man.

1. Wasim Jaffer
2. Virender Sehwag
3. Rahul Dravid (c)
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. VVS Laxman
6. Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk)
7. Irfan Pathan
8. Anil Kumble
9. Harbhajan Singh
10. Zaheer Khan
11. Munaf Patel

12th man: Yuvraj Singh

You forgot to mention that Duncan Fletcher took over as the Indian coach.

I'm upset no Utappa

Insane that Sreesanth would miss out, tbh.

Yeah, clearly he should have been picked ahead of Munaf.

Also, why is Atapattu not playing?

Atapattu back can't hold up more then two days...

1st test has been simmed just waiting on Zac to post results and post second test India side. Second test will be simmed straight after.

Sri Lanka vs India, First Test played in Kandy
 

Jayawardene Slaughters India

Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene confirmed his claim in being one of the top international batsmen going around by making a solid 143, from just over 300 deliveries, against a lethargic Indian bowling lineup.

Indian skipper Dravid won the toss and elected to bat on a flat Kandy track and the Indian top order all got starts with Tendulkar making the most of the conditions with a classy 65. The top order, however, did not have any support from the tail as the Indian team collapsed from 3 for 157 to 175 all out. Muralitharan was the cause of the collapse, bowling unplayable delivery after unplayable delivery and finishing with remarkable figures of 5 for 36 from 14.

Sanath Jayasuriya opened his series account with a blistering 75 from just 54 balls and his outburst spurred the Sri Lankans to a grand 297 run first innings lead. A 52 run last wicket partnership between Malinga and Muralitharan added to the Indian woes.

Batted to save the game, the Indian's defied the Sri Lankans for a period and then crumbled. Captain Dravid and opener Jaffer both posted hard-fought, well made half centuries but it was not enough, as they slowly lost wickets and hope of making the confident Sri Lankan's bat again.

It was not to be and the Sri Lankan's won by an innings.

India 1st Inn
175 All Out
Tendulkar 65, Dravid 36
Muralitharan 5-36, Malinga 2-36

Sri Lanka 1st Inn
472 All Out
Jayawardene DPMD 141, Jayasuriya 75
Pathan 4-117, Khan 2-100

India 2nd Inn
Dravid 56, Jaffer 53
Malinga 4-105, Vaas 3-71

Sri Lanka won by an Innings and 28 runs.

Man of the Match: DPMD Jayawardene [ 141 (304) ]