SRI LANKA vs INDIA 4TH ODI PREVIEW

It was an all familiar script as India clinched the series with two games to go. India once again rocked early and reeling at 61-4 chasing 218 and it was Rohit Sharma and Ms Dhoni helping them cross the finish line. But the match will be remembered for wrong reasons. With only 8 runs required for India to seal the series, a section in the crowd turned hostile and hurled bottles and later footwear onto to the outfield which led to the play being abandoned for about 30 minutes. This is the second time in the series Sri Lankan fans expressed their disappointment and anger.

For two games in a row, Sri Lanka created an opening but could not finish well. And it is only their effort in the field and with the ball that is helping them create that opening. Batting has followed a similar script in all the three ODIs. Batsmen not able to convert starts and gifting wickets away has been very common in this series. But their pace bowling has improved as the series has progressed. Sri Lanka’s fielding has been right on the mark in the last two games. So, Sri Lanka will need to put in a little extra and go for that final push. Even though the next two games might be dead rubbers, the hosts have a lot to play.

Image result for SRI LANKA vs INDIA 3rd ODI 2017 — Picture Courtesy – https://images.google.com/.

India have been getting new heroes every game especially with the bat. Dhawan and Kohli in the 1^st, Bhuvi and Dhoni in the 2^nd and Rohit and Dhoni again in the 3^rd. Bumrah has been splendid taking 11 wickets in three games and the bowling has revolved around him and has done very well. The top-order though failed in two successive games, look in good shape. They haven’t fielded as well as they would have liked to, but it should not worry them a lot. India will be looking to go for the kill and will be looking to win every game on this tour.

WHEN: 31^ST AUGUST, THURSDAY – 2:30 PM IST, 2:30 PM LOCAL

WHERE: R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

Image result for R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo — Picture Courtesy – https://images.google.com/.

TEAM NEWS

SRI LANKA: There has been constant chopping and changing for Sri Lanka. They have been plagued by injuries, but they also haven’t backed players a good run as well. Their stand-in skipper Kapugedera is the latest entrant to the injury causality. Malinga will be Sri Lanka’s fourth ODI captain this year. Chandimal suffered a hairline fracture while batting in the 3^rd ODI and is ruled out of the series. Dhananjaya de Silva and Dilshan Munaweera have been called up and by the looks of it, both might walk into the XI. Gunathilaka will go through a fitness test before the game, but it looks unlikely that he’ll recover from his shoulder injury. The bowlers have done well and the bowling line-up should remain the same.

LIKELY XI: Niroshan Dickwella, Dilshan Munaweera, Kusal Mendis, Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Milinda Siriwardana, Akila Dananjaya, Dushmantha Chameera, Lasith Malinga (c), Vishwa Fernando

INDIA: Virat Kohli hinted that since the series is won, there might be a few changes. There can be a possibility of two wrist-spinners playing as well. Shardul Thakur might get a chance if Kohli decides to rest either Bhuvneshwar or Bumrah. The batting should remain the same as the previous ODIs.

LIKELY XI: Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (c), KL Rahul, MS Dhoni, Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav/ Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah

STATS

India won their seventh successive bilateral series against Sri Lanka.
MS Dhoni will be playing his 300^th ODI in the 4^th one-day.
MS Dhoni also needs one more stumping to become the first keeper to effect 100 stumpings in ODIs.
MS Dhoni equalled the record for most not-outs in ODIs – 72 and he also became India’s fourth highest run-getter in ODIs.
When Virat Kohli was dismissed for 3, it was the first instance since the 2015 World Cup that he was dismissed for single-digit scores in consecutive innings.
Rohit Sharma finally broke the Sri Lanka jinx as he scored his maiden hundred in Sri Lanka after scoring 9 single-digit scores in his 11 previous innings here.

SQUADS

SRI LANKA: Lasith Malinga (c), Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana, Malinda Pushpakumara, Akila Dananjaya, Lakshan Sandakan, Thisara Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Vishwa Fernando, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dilshan Munaweera

INDIA: Virat Kohli(c), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Manish Pandey, Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni, Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shardul Thakur, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah

SRI LANKA vs INDIA 3RD ODI PREVIEW

When you are going through a bad/lean phase, you tend to find ways to lose. Sri Lanka figured that out in Kandy in the 2^nd ODI. Chasing 231 with the match reduced to 47 overs due to rain, India were streaming along nicely at 109-0 and an encore of the 1^st ODI was on the cards with the crowd very quiet. But in 38 balls, the crowd in Kandy suddenly found its voice with India at a stuttering 131-7 with Akila Dananjaya ripping apart India’s top and middle order. But what followed was typical Test match-like stuff. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and the ice-man MS Dhoni took India home with typical Test match-like unbeaten 100-run partnership. And the hosts have two days to recover from this heartbreak as they look to keep the series alive in the 3^rd ODI.

SL v IND — Picture Courtesy – https://images.google.com/.

Sri Lanka don’t seem to learn from their mistakes. They repeated the same mistakes while batting, throwing away decent starts, not building on a good platform. Batting needs to shoulder a lot more responsibility. Their fast bowlers were wayward, didn’t maintain the pressure and contributed to the 12 of the 14 wides bowled by Sri Lanka. But their fielding was top notch which added to the pressure. So, for Sri Lanka it looked like a case of so close, yet so far.

Image result for SRI LANKA vs INDIA 2nd ODI — Picture Courtesy – https://images.google.com/. Sri Lanka fought back well in the last ODI and will be hoping to cross the line this time and keep the series alive.

India scripted a miraculous turnaround through a Dhoni-Bhuvi mastermind. Kohli had promised a few surprises and he did shuffle the batting order with KL Rahul and Jadhav batting ahead of him. Though, the experiment failed, it was worth a try. Their bowling was consistent again, controlling the run flow and picking up wickets at regular intervals after Sri Lanka openers were off to a good start. India will want to wrap up the series in the 3^rd one-day.

WHEN: 27^TH AUGUST, SUNDAY – 2:30 PM, 2:30 PM LOCAL

WHERE: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele

Image result for Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele — Picture Courtesy – https://images.google.com/. **Pallekele International Cricket Stadium** is a picturesque stadium.

TEAM NEWS

SRI LANKA: Out of the 3 changes, Sri Lanka made, two of them (Siriwardana and Dananjaya) showed spark in their performances. Two changes are guaranteed for the hosts as their captain Tharanga received a ban for two ODIs. Opener Danushka Gunathilaka hurt his shoulder while fielding, thus will not take part in the following ODIs. Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne have been called up and Chamara Kapugedera will captain the side. The bowling may remain the same even though the fast bowlers haven’t picked up a wicket in this series.

LIKELY XI: Niroshan Dickwella, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Chamara Kapugedera (C), Milinda Siriwardana, Thisara Perera/Dushmantha Chameera, Akila Dananjaya, Lasith Malinga, Vishwa Fernando

INDIA: Kohli has suggested a few changes will be made throughout the series so you cannot rule out the possibility of any combination. Hardik Pandya was seen limping around while fielding, so his fitness is an issue. The batting should remain the same. Kuldeep Yadav might get a game as well.

LIKELY XI: Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (c), KL Rahul, MS Dhoni, Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav/ Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah

STATS

MS DHONI needs 1 stumping to become the first wicketkeeper to effect 100 stumpings in his ODI career. He has the joint-highest stumpings with 99 stumpings (Kumar Sangakkara also effected 99).
Lasith Malinga is 2 wickets away from becoming the fourth Sri Lankan bowler to take 300 wickets.
Sri Lanka have lost 6 out of the last 7 ODIs against India.

SQUADS

SRI LANKA: Chamara Kapugedera (c), Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana, Malinda Pushpakumara, Akila Dananjaya, Lakshan Sandakan, Thisara Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lasith Malinga, Dushmantha Chameera, Vishwa Fernando, Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne

BANGLADESH vs AUSTRALIA 1ST TEST PREVIEW

It’s been 11 years since Bangladesh and Australia played a Test match against each other. 11 YEARS is a long time and a lot has changed since then for both teams. Australia no longer are the force they were in 2006, while Bangladesh have come a long way and are taking giant strides in international cricket. In 2006, the Aussies were a force to reckon and the team to beat, but 11 years hence the disparate divide between these two nations has narrowed.

Both Bangladesh and Australia are back playing international cricket after a bit of break. None of them have played after the Champions Trophy ended in June. Australia’s Bangladesh tour was in jeopardy due to the pay dispute between the board CA and the players (represented by ACA). But with all disputes settled, focus shifts back on cricket.

Don’t think any team is an out and out favourite in this Test series. Bangladesh’s confidence will be sky high after wins against England and Sri Lanka, while Australia also will be confident after their impressive performance in India earlier this year.

Bangladesh’s graph has been on an upward trend. First, they improved as ODI team and now the Test team looks in very good shape. They’ve taken giant strides in Test cricket in the past 12 months where they’ve beaten England (at home) and Sri Lanka (in Sri Lanka), they competed well against India as well. Though they’ve played on turning tracks, this looks like the best Test team Bangladesh have produced in their Test history. So, maybe for the first time, they enter a Test series on even grounds with the opposition.

Image result for AUSTRALIA TOUR OF BANGLADESH, 2017 — Picture Courtesy – https://images.google.com/. Bangladesh look a much-improved side and will want to win their first ever test against the Aussies.

Australia don’t boast of a great Test record in Asia especially since 2007. They have won only 2 Tests in the last 10 years (one in Sri Lanka in 2011 and one in India in 2017). Spin has been their long-time nemesis. But the way they played in India earlier this year suggests that they have improved against spin. As another spin oriented series, it will be a big test not only for the Aussie batsmen but also the bowlers who need to adjust to the heat and conditions quickly.

WHEN: Aug 27, Sun – Aug 31, Thu – 9:30 AM IST, 10 AM LOCAL

WHERE: Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka

TEAM NEWS

BANGLADESH: Bangladesh’s squad looks a settled unit. Their batting has been very consistent with a solid top 6. With Shakib batting at No. 5, it allows them to play 4 genuine bowlers with 2 fast bowlers. With Shafiul back in the mix, he will fight for the second seamers spot with Taskin Ahmed. The No. 7 position also looks uncertain. With Mossaddek Hossain injured, Mominul Haque has been recalled after he was initially dropped. So, it’ll be interesting to see who plays at No. 7.

LIKELY XI: Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Sabbir Rahman, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (c & wk), Nasir Hossain/Mominul Haque, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed/Shafiul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman,

AUSTRALIA: The Australian squad for this Test series looks similar to the one that toured India with notable exclusions of Shaun Marsh and Steve O’Keefe. Agar will likely partner Lyon as the second spinner as suggested by coach Darren Lehman. With Marsh dropped, Khawaja looks set to return to the XI. Maxwell will most likely occupy the No. 6 slot. Hazlewood and Cummins are the likely pacers to play.

LIKELY XI: David Warner, Matt Renshaw, Steve Smith (c), Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Wade (wk), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

STATS

The 1^st test between Bangladesh and Australia will only be the 5^th Test between these two sides.
Australia have won all the four previous tests they’ve played against Bangladesh.
Australia have only one series win in Asia since 2007 (in Sri Lanka in 2011).

SQUADS

BANGLADESH: Mushfiqur Rahim (c), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Shakib Al Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Sabbir Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Liton Das, Taskin Ahmed, Shafiul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Taijul Islam, Mominul Haque.

AUSTRALIA: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Ashton Agar, Jackson Bird, Hilton Cartwright, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade.

ENGLAND vs WEST INDIES 2ND TEST PREVIEW

Source: ENGLAND vs WEST INDIES 2ND TEST PREVIEW

ENGLAND vs WEST INDIES 2ND TEST PREVIEW

ALASTAIR COOK batted for 588 minutes and WEST INDIES batted for 430 minutes both innings combined. This sums up the first test! While the Windies were shoddy, England were brilliant. With the Day-Night Test at Edgbaston a huge success in terms of crowd and support, both teams move to Headingley for the second test with different perspectives. West Indies need to regroup quickly otherwise we could well be in for another horribly one-sided affair.

England displayed a very pleasing and a very remarkable performance in the first test as Root said in the post-match presentation. England were absolutely ruthless in the manner in which they played, they never let the Windies off the hook. With both bat and ball, England looked like the superior side. One can be a little critical of their fielding as they dropped a few catches, but it’s nothing to worry about as they’ve been generally very good in the field. England will want to wrap up the series in the second test and will be hoping for another complete performance.

Picture Courtesy – https://www.icc-cricket.com/. England have been pretty consistent in the last 3 tests they’ve played.

West Indies started the Test match on a positive note with a fiery spell from the comeback man Kemar Roach, but soon found out the importance of consistency. Expect Roach none of the bowlers showed any sort of control. It was an abject surrender while batting as they lost 19 wickets on the third day. There was no fight at all from the batsmen.

Former cricketers Curtly Ambrose and Geoffrey Boycott have lashed out at the Windies for their abysmal performance in the first test. Ambrose tagged the performance as ‘embarrassing and pathetic’ whereas Boycott termed this West Indian line-up as ‘the worst ever he has seen in 50 years’. Battered and bruised, the Windies need to correct their mistakes and maybe come out with a fearless attitude as they have nothing to lose.

Image result for Windies in England, 1st Test, 2017 — Picture Courtesy – https://images.google.com/. West Indies need to show character and fight in this series otherwise it could be over very soon.

WHEN: AUGUST 25^TH – 29^TH – 3:30 PM IST, 10 AM GMT, 11 AM LOCAL

WHERE: Headingley, Leeds

TEAM NEWS

ENGLAND: England are yet to have a settled opening pair. Cook has had 12 different partners since Andrew Strauss retired. Mark Stoneman failed to make a mark in his debut game, but he will be given a longer rope. Even Tom Westley hasn’t quite made a big impact in the 3 tests he’s played. Dawid Malan got a fifty but doesn’t instil too much confidence either. It is sure that Westley will continue at No. 3, it’ll be interesting to see if the hosts want to bring back Woakes. If they do, then Malan might have to sit out. It is the only change that England might make.

LIKELY XI – Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, Tom Westley, Joe Root (c), Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Dawid Malan/Chris Woakes, Moeen Ali, Toby Roland-Jones, Stuart Broad, James Anderson

WEST INDIES: Shannon Gabriel who is West Indies’ lead bowler was surprisingly not fit for the first test. He will walk back into the XI if he regains fitness and Alzarri Joseph might miss out. Leggie Bishoo might continue to sit out so that the Windies can play 4 fast bowlers. The rest of the XI might remain the same even though the batting fared miserably.

LIKELY XI – Kraigg Brathwaite, Kieran Powell, Kyle Hope, Shai Hope, Roston Chase, Jermaine Blackwood, Shane Dowrich, Jason Holder (c), Kemar Roach, Miguel Cummins, Shannon Gabriel

STATS

England won three consecutive tests for the first time since 2014 (India series).
Stuart Broad became England’s second highest wicket-taker behind James Anderson with 384 wickets surpassing Sir Ian Botham.

TEAM SQUADS

ENGLAND

Joe Root (c), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Jonny Bairstow, Mason Crane, Dawid Malan, Toby Roland-Jones, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, Tom Westley, Chris Woakes

WEST INDIES

Jason Holder (c), Kraigg Brathwaite, Devendra Bishoo, Jermaine Blackwood, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Shimron Hetmyer, Kyle Hope, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Kieran Powell, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach

SRI LANKA vs INDIA 2ND ODI PREVIEW

“We want our cricket back”, “Bring back the brand of cricket we played in 1996”, “No politics in cricket” – These were slogans and hostile chants by the Sri Lankan fans who gathered around the team bus after the team’s humiliating nine-wicket defeat. Sunny Gavaskar has gone up to the extent in saying that a Ranji Trophy side can beat the present Sri Lankan team.

Everyone expected a better show from the hosts in the one-day series but what followed was a pathetic display with both bat and ball. It is not the loss but the manner in which Sri Lanka played and lost was hurting. Former Sri Lankan players have urged the fans to be patient, show support and keep faith in the team as they are inexperienced and in transition.

Sri Lanka were going well till the half way mark in the first innings (while batting), they were 137/1 and a score of 300 was on the cards. But what followed was abject surrender. It was a stunning collapse as they lost their last nine wickets for 77 runs and were bundled out for 216 which was way below par. None of the batsmen showed resilience or responsibility. The bowlers were as clueless as the batsmen. Sri Lanka picked up only one wicket and that too in the form of a run out. So, the hosts need to lift themselves, show character and compete in the remaining ODIs.

Image result for Sri Lanka ODI openers 2017 — Picture Courtesy – https://images.google.com/. Sri Lankan openers gave solid start which the middle order failed to capitalize.

Meanwhile, India just continued to do what they’ve been doing for quite a while now and that is DOMINATE. Their top 3 look ominous (even though Rohit Sharma failed). The bowlers have been very consistent. Spinners played a key role in the win who restricted Sri Lankan batsmen after a good start.

Image result for sri lanka vs india odi series 2017 — Picture Courtesy – https://images.google.com/. While Dhawan continued his stupendous form notching up his 3rd century on this tour, Kohli played second fiddle and quietly got his 11th fifty against Sri Lanka.

WHEN: 24^TH AUGUST, THURSDAY – 2.30 PM IST

WHERE: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele

TEAM NEWS

SRI LANKA: The hosts have quite a few headaches in terms of selection. The batting has been disappointing. Their batting unit looks very talented, it’s just that they need to deliver consistently. The top 5 look stable and Kapugedera should occupy No. 6 even after his failure in the first ODI unless the team management is very harsh. The bowlers also should remain the same as well.

LIKELY XI: Niroshan Dickwella, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Upul Tharanga, Angelo Mathews, Chamara Kapugedera/Milinda Siriwardana, Thisara Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lasith Malinga, Lakshan Sandakan/Akila Dananjaya, Vishwa Fernando

INDIA: The team management and the selectors have suggested that they will ‘experiment’ not only in this series but also the coming ones in order to build a core group ahead of the 2019 World Cup. Virat Kohli also said that there might be a few surprises in the XI. So, one cannot rule out anything. The batting barring the top 3 didn’t get to bat, so it should remain the same. The bowlers might be shuffled. Spinners Chahal and Axar Patel played in the first ODI and Kuldeep Yadav was surprisingly left out. So, Kuldeep might replace Chahal in the second one-day.

LIKELY XI: Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (c), KL Rahul, MS Dhoni, Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav/ Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah

STATS

MS DHONI needs 2 stumpings to become the first wicketkeeper to effect 100 stumpings.
Lasith Malinga is 2 wickets away from becoming the fourth Sri Lankan bowler to take 300 wickets.
In the 1^st ODI, Shikhar Dhawan became the first Indian player to score six successive 50+ scores against a particular opposition.
Rohit Sharma’s batting average in Sri Lanka is a mere He has seven successive single digit scores in his last 7 innings there.

SQUADS

SRI LANKA: Upul Tharanga (c), Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Chamara Kapugedera, Milinda Siriwardana, Malinda Pushpakumara, Akila Dananjaya, Lakshan Sandakan, Thisara Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lasith Malinga, Dushmantha Chameera, Vishwa Fernando

SRI LANKA vs INDIA 1ST ODI PREVIEW

11 days (out of maximum 15), 31 sessions (out of maximum 45) – This was all India took to wallop and whitewash Sri Lanka in the 3-match Test series. India though were expected to win the series but nobody expected them to dominate the way they did. They never gave Sri Lanka an iota of sniff at any stage and there was very little fightback from Sri Lanka as well. So, with 6 games (5 ODIs and 1 T20I) left on this tour, one can only hope Sri Lanka get better and compete. Also, Sri Lanka haven’t won a bilateral ODI series against India since 1997.

Image result for india vs srilanka ODI series 2017 — Picture Courtesy – https://images.google.com/. Sri Lanka have never won a bilateral series against India since 1997.

By the look of it, this ODI series again looks like a mismatch, in terms of form and ranking. No. 3 vs No. 8 doesn’t quite sound well. One team looks like a dominant force who want to brush aside every challenge thrown at them and the other looks like a mere defender who seems to be in transition from the time a few greats retired which was a couple of years ago. So, hopefully, a change in format helps Sri Lanka’s cause and hope that this ODI series isn’t woefully one-sided like the Test series.

Sri Lanka are on the back of a humiliating series loss against Zimbabwe which led to Mathews stepping down from captaincy. Upul Tharanga has been appointed as captain and will hope his tenure starts off on a positive note.

Sri Lanka’s strength has been chasing. They’ve chased 300+ totals with ease. But they have also lost games from a position of strength. Sri Lanka’s main area of concern has been their fielding. They have dropped almost 60 catches across formats this year. Their catching has been terrible and the dropped chances have cost Sri Lanka a lot.

Sri Lanka have lacked intensity and consistency and they would like to address that and turn up well against India in this ODI series. The Lankans can take heart from the fact that their only Champions Trophy win came against India.

Image result for srilanka ODI 2017 — Picture Courtesy – https://images.google.com/. Sri Lanka need at least two wins to guarantee a spot in the 2019 World Cup.

India have just lost 4 ODIs out of the 13 they’ve played this year. They’ve been dominating with their performances with an odd blip here and there. They reached the finals of the Champions Trophy and won the ODI series in the West Indies convincingly. They would love to extend their dominance in this ODI series.

Image result for india odi — Picture Courtesy – https://images.google.com/. India have been consistent with their performances in the past 12 months.

WHEN: 20^TH AUGUST, SUNDAY – 2:30 PM IST, 2.30 PM LOCAL TIME

WHERE: Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla

Image result for Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla — Picture Courtesy – https://images.google.com/. Sri Lanka haven’t won an ODI in Dambulla since 2014.

TEAM NEWS

SRI LANKA: Sri Lanka’s batting line-up looks settled with only Asela Gunaratne out injured. They have recalled allrounders Thisara Perera and Siriwardana. It is likely that Perera will walk into the XI but Siriwardana might have to wait for his opportunities. The hosts will be relieved to know that Mathews is set to resume bowling from this series and this will give them more balance and they can play the extra batsman.

Pacers Kulasekara, Kumara and Asitha Fernando have been left out and Vishwa Fernando and Pushpakumara, who made their Test debuts in the Test series have been included in the ODI squad. Malinga will spearhead this attack.

INDIA: Starting from this series India play 16 ODIs till the end of this year and thus the selectors and the team management have made their intentions clear by forming a core team, giving chances to as many players they can and prioritizing on fitness. So, all the main bowlers Ashwin, Jadeja, Shami and Yadav have been rested. This presents an opportunity to spinners like Axar Patel and Chahal who have done well in the ‘A’ series. But it is likely that Axar will partner Kuldeep in the XI.

Manish Pandey and KL Rahul also return to the squad but it’ll be interesting to see who plays. The selectors have said that Rahul will be tried at No. 4. So, Pandey might have to sit out for the first few games. The rest of the batting order is settled with Jadhav coming in at 6.

LIKELY XI: Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (c), KL Rahul, MS Dhoni, Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah

SQUADS

ENGLAND vs WEST INDIES: 1ST TEST PREVIEW

It’s been 140 years since England played their first ever Test match. And this Test match at Edgbaston, Birmingham embarks a new and an unknown territory with its first Day-Night in England. Even though there have been 4 Day-Night Tests before it is still an unknown entity. It is an experiment that is being trialled by the ICC and various other boards in an attempt to address the problem of falling attendance at Test matches. So, England which is the Home of Test Cricket gets ready for a new spectacle as the England team take a leap into the unknown.

While a few have got a taste of day-night cricket during a round of County Championship games, some like Root and Broad have hardly had any exposure. — Picture Courtesy – http://www.cricbuzz.com/. England players have also admitted that this Day-Night Test is a step into the unknown.

There are a few questions as to whether Day-Night Tests are suitable in England or not. The most interesting thing will be how the pink Duke ball plays as in the 4 day-night tests the Kookaburra ball has been used. Also, the success might largely depend on the weather which is largely unpredictable in England. The forecast for this week in Birmingham is looking to be typical of this year’s August: wet and chilly. Sitting outside at 8 pm in drizzly 14 degrees is hardly an appealing prospect compared with the balmy temperatures in Adelaide or Dubai.

Image result for day night test cricket — Picture Courtesy – https://images.google.com/. There have been four previous Day-Night Tests, three in Australia and one in UAE.

This will be England’s first Day-Night Test while West Indies have had a taste of it in the UAE last September. England will increasingly get used to this format as they play two more Day-Night Tests in the next nine months, one in Australia in November and one in New Zealand next March. How England and West Indies players respond, adapt and cope with the pink ball is another interesting subplot of this Test match. Despite being the away team West Indies may actually be better prepared as they have played one test and a few practice games under lights, so all eyes will be Root and Co on how they fare against the pink ball.

England are coming off a morale boosting series triumph (3-1) against the No. 2 ranked Test side South Africa. Joe Root’s captaincy tenure took off in a positive direction in terms of result and captaincy wise as well, it also showed the future looked good and bright under him. England’s major problem has been their consistency. If they are brilliant in one game then in the next one they produce a lacklustre performance. They have tried to address that in the South Africa series where they won the consecutive tests (3^rd and 4^th tests) only for the fourth time since the beginning of 2015. So, with only three tests before the mega Ashes, England will look to strive for consistency and nail down a few uncertain holes in this 3-match Test series.

Image result for ENGLAND TEST 2017 — Picture Courtesy – https://images.google.com/. England will look to continue to continue their form and momentum against the Windies.

West Indies have only played one Test series this year and that was back in April-May which they narrowly lost against Pakistan (2-1) at home. The men from the Caribbean have been pretty ordinary with their performances in the last 2-3 years, especially in Test cricket. They last won a Test series back in 2014 against Bangladesh and since the beginning of 2015, they have won only 3 Test matches (2 against Pakistan and 1 against England). They have shown signs of improvement in the past one year but they will need players to step up and take a lot more responsibility. So, West Indies start this Test series as the underdog team which may be a blessing in disguise if England underestimate West Indies as Stuart Law had stated in an interview with the Daily Mail.

WHEN: AUGUST 17^TH – AUGUST 21^ST, 6.30 PM IST, 1.00 PM GMT, 2.00 PM LOCAL

WHERE: Edgbaston, Birmingham

Image result for Edgbaston, Birmingham — Picture Courtesy – https://images.google.com/. Edgbaston will host the historic Day-Night Test.

TEAM NEWS

ENGLAND: The hosts have made three changes to their squad. Mark Stoneman and Mason Crane have received maiden call-ups while Chris Woakes returns after recovering from a side strain. It is certain that Mark Stoneman will make his debut and become Cook’s 12^th opening partner since the retirement of Andrew Strauss. It will be interesting to see England’s combination whether they play 7 or 8 batsmen. If they decide to go in with 7 batters then Woakes walks into the side but if they decide to continue with the combination that they played against South Africa in the last two tests, then he will have to fight with Roland-Jones for the 3^rd seamers spot.

LIKELY XI – Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, Tom Westley, Joe Root (c), Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Dawid Malan/Chris Woakes, Moeen Ali, Toby Roland-Jones, Stuart Broad, James Anderson

WEST INDIES: The major issue for the Windies has been inconsistent performances with the bat. In 6 innings against Pakistan, West Indies scored 300+ only once which underlines their problem. Kyle Hope and Raymon Reifer have earned maiden call-ups and the former might make his Test debut. West Indies also have recalled pacer Kemar Roach who makes a comeback after 18 months. Blackwood was also dropped from the test team in October last year, thus it is likely he will be back at No. 6. So the Windies are likely to play 7 batsmen and 4 bowlers.

LIKELY XI – Kraigg Brathwaite, Kieran Powell, Kyle Hope, Shai Hope, Roston Chase, Jermaine Blackwood, Shane Dowrich, Jason Holder (c), Devendra Bishoo, Shannon Gabriel, Kemar Roach/Alzarri Joseph

TEAM SQUADS

ENGLAND

Joe Root (Captain), Moeen Ali (All-Rounder), James Anderson (Bowler), Stuart Broad (All-Rounder), Alastair Cook (Batsman), Jonny Bairstow (Batsman), Mason Crane (Bowler), Dawid Malan (All-Rounder), Toby Roland-Jones (All-Rounder), Ben Stokes (All-Rounder), Mark Stoneman (Batsman), Tom Westley (Batsman), Chris Woakes (All-Rounder)

WEST INDIES

Jason Holder (All-Rounder), Kraigg Brathwaite (Batsman), Devendra Bishoo (Bowler), Jermaine Blackwood (Batsman), Roston Chase (All-Rounder), Miguel Cummins (Bowler), Shane Dowrich (Wicket-Keeper), Shannon Gabriel (Bowler), Shimron Hetmyer (Batsman), Kyle Hope (Batsman), Shai Hope (Batsman), Alzarri Joseph (Bowler), Kieran Powell (Batsman), Raymon Reifer (All-Rounder), Kemar Roach (Bowler)

ENGLAND vs SOUTH AFRICA 4TH TEST PREVIEW

A fascinating see-saw series has been on display with either team winning alternate tests. Both England and South Africa haven’t displayed consistency. Neither team has been able to maintain the momentum in this series on which Faf du Plessis commented: “It’s a mystery to all of us”. So things are nicely poised for the fourth and final test.

Image result for ENGLAND vs SOUTH AFRICA 4TH TEST 2017 — Picture Courtesy – https://images.google.com/. With England leading the series 2-1, South Africa have the ability to bounce back which they have shown time and again. So an exciting fourth and final test awaits.

England displayed an all-round performance at the Oval to gain a 2-1 lead in this series. They batted in difficult conditions and did well. Their top 3 was a little more assured which helped the middle order. Bowling was outstanding in both innings, largely led by debutant Toby Roland-Jones who had a dream start to his Test career. England need to bring in consistency as it has often happened after a strong performance, they seem to fade away in the next game. Also, England have never won a series against South Africa at home since 1998, so this is the perfect opportunity for Root and co to set the record straight.

Ben Stokes struck twice. First he cleaned up Quinton de Kock and followed it by dismissing Faf du Plessis Leg before. — Picture Courtesy – https://www.icc-cricket.com/. England have been very inconsistent over the past two years in Test cricket.

South Africa like England have been pretty inconsistent in this series, especially with the bat. They’ve often found themselves in early trouble. The problem is that the top-order hasn’t provided stable starts. Hashim Amla’s form has dipped, Heino Kuhn hasn’t contributed much, de Kock after being promoted to No. 4 faded off after one fifty at that position. Bowling has been good but they rely on Philander a bit too much which was evident in the 3^rd test. South Africa are a team that travels well, so expect a cracker of a fourth test.

Rabada broke the threatening 75-run stand between Stokes and Bairstow. — Picture Courtesy – http://www.cricbuzz.com/. South Africa have a really good overseas record and will be hoping for a good comeback as they did after the first test.

WHEN: AUGUST 4^TH, FRIDAY – AUGUST 8^TH, TUESDAY, 3.30 PM IST, 11.00 AM LOCAL

WHERE: Old Trafford, Manchester

Image result for Old Trafford, Manchester cricket ground — Picture Courtesy – https://images.google.com/. England have never lost a Test match at Old Trafford since 2001.

TEAM NEWS:

ENGLAND: Trevor Bayliss hinted that England might go back to the seven batsmen combination which means Liam Dawson might come back in the XI and replace either Dawid Malan or Keaton Jennings. Steven Finn has replaced Mark Wood in the squad after Wood was ruled out due to an ankle injury. But it is unlikely that England will change their bowling combination.

LIKELY XI: Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Tom Westley, Joe Root(c), Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, David Malan/Liam Dawson, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood, James Anderson

SOUTH AFRICA: The main concern for the Proteas will be the fitness of Vernon Philander. He struggled with viral fever and stomach ache through the second test. Heino Kuhn has scored only 78 runs in 6 innings, but South Africa will persist with him at least for the last test. The visitors should field the same XI even though they lost the 3^rd test.

LIKELY XI: Dean Elgar(c), Heino Kuhn, Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, Temba Bavuma, Vernon Philander, Chris Morris, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Morne Morkel

SQUADS

ENGLAND: Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Tom Westley, Joe Root(c), Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Liam Dawson, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood, James Anderson, Toby Roland-Jones, Dawid Malan

SOUTH AFRICA: Faf du Plessis(c), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Quinton de Kock, Dean Elgar, Heino Kuhn, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Duanne Olivier, Andile Phehlukwayo, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada

SRI LANKA vs INDIA 2ND TEST PREVIEW

As everyone expected, the No. 1 ranked team was far better than the No. 7 and won the first test comfortably. India were always going to be tough to beat but Sri Lanka were expected to play much better than they did at least at home. With the odds heavily against the hosts, this is Sri Lanka’s opportunity to play freely and fearlessly and give India a tough fight otherwise a 3-0 whitewash beckons.

Image result for INDIA vs Sri lanka test series 2017 — Picture Courtesy – https://images.google.com/.

Sri Lanka as Herath said in the post-match press conference are a much better team than the one that showed up in Galle. Right from the toss, nothing went right for them. Players getting injured, dropping catches, shoddy bowling and irresponsible batting. Their fielding has been pathetic, to say the least. They’ve dropped as many as 56 catches across formats this year. And the catches they drop have cost them dearly.

Bowling always revolves around Rangana Herath but he had an off game in Galle, which showed in the bowling performance of the team. Even though Nuwan Pradeep picked up a six-fer, Sri Lanka’s bowling doesn’t inspire confidence and their bowlers need to step up and have some sort of control as they leaked runs at more than 4 runs per over in both innings. Batting was decent but irresponsible. Also, senior players like Tharanga, Mathews, Karunaratne, Chandimal, Herath need to take extra responsibility and guide the team in difficult times.

One positive news for the hosts is that their skipper Dinesh Chandimal will be back for the second test but Sri Lanka need to improve their game several notches higher otherwise this Indian team will just stream roll past them.

Image result for india vs sri lanka 1st test 2017 — Picture Courtesy – https://images.google.com/. Sri Lanka need to start believing in themselves and play freely.

India now seemed to have developed their own style winning test matches, especially in the sub-continent. Batting big in the first innings is very important in tests and India seem to have mastered that and have scored more than 400 more often than not.

In the first test, they ticked all the boxes and were clinical in their performance. The manner in which they’ve been playing is what Virat Kohli calls the ‘boring brand of cricket’ but India have been ruthless. Batting is in excellent shape, bowling has been superb if you need to find some chink in the armor, it’s their slip catching which has been a bit on and off. The Kohli-Shastri era began on an excellent note with a huge win and they would hope India just continues in the same vein as they’ve been playing over the past one year.

Picture Courtesy – https://www.icc-cricket.com/. India will be looking to seal the series in Colombo.

WHEN: August 3^rd Thursday – August 7^thMonday, 10.00 AM IST, 10.00 AM LOCAL

WHERE: Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo

TEAM NEWS:

SRI LANKA: Dinesh Chandimal has recovered from pneumonia and will be back leading the hosts. But it will be interesting to see who he replaces, whether he comes in place of Gunaratne who is ruled out for 6 weeks and persists with Gunathilaka or drops the latter and brings in another replacement. Rangana Herath also has a sore finger but is expected to play. Thirimanne has been recalled to the test side after 13 months, but it will be interesting to see if he plays in the second test. The bowling may remain the same even after a poor outing in the first game.

LIKELY XI: Upul Tharanga, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis, Danushka Gunathilaka/ Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal (c), Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Dilruwan Perera, Rangana Herath, Nuwan Pradeep, Lahiru Kumara

INDIA: India once again have a nice headache in terms of selection. KL Rahul is fully fit and will be raring to go but it will be a tricky decision on who should sit out. Both Dhawan (190 and 14) and Mukund (12 and 81) scored runs in the first test. By stats, it’s easy to pick Dhawan but remember it was Mukund who was the first choice opener for the tour. So, it’ll be tricky to choose but Dhawan should get the nod purely because of the form he is in.

Hardik Pandya did well on debut and is likely to play in the second test as well. Except for KL Rahul’s inclusion, no other changes are expected for the second test.

LIKELY XI: Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav

SQUADS:

SRI LANKA:

INDIA: Virat Kohli (c), KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vc), Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Abhinav Mukund, Shikhar Dhawan.