India-Sri Lanka bilateral series where India are trying to prove themselves? Wow. It’s been a while. In fact, India haven’t lost a bilateral series between these teams since 1997.
“We’re a quality spinner,” Washington said on the eve of Game 3. The first two games were played on very spin-friendly fields, and more of the same is expected on Wednesday.
“We have always played on these types of pitches, even at home, even in Test matches. In domestic cricket, we play a lot on these wickets. A lot of our players have done really well, especially in the middle order, especially batting against spin.
“It’s just a matter of finding your own way within your own personality and trying to get the job done. Everyone knows it’s a challenging wicket. The Indian team has always been a team where everyone puts their hands up, especially when the challenge arises.”
Sri Lanka were so poor in last year’s World Cup that they failed to qualify for next year’s Champions Trophy, but for India, this is essentially preparation for that tournament. With India opposed to playing in Pakistan, there is a possibility that many of the matches will be moved to Sri Lanka. Ketarama is the most likely venue if that happens.
This means more turning tracks in February and March. Another possible venue for the Indian games is the UAE, where spin could also play a role.
One of the problems India have had in this series has been their inability to stop Sri Lanka’s lower middle-order batsmen, particularly Dunis Welalaji, from forming crucial partnerships in the last 10 overs.
“We want to get them under $200,” Washington said. “We’ve put them in that situation in two games. As we get closer to the big tournaments, we’re going to be in similar situations, and that’s an opportunity for us to figure out how to get things done in important situations. We just have to put our hands up and win games in important situations.”
On the batting front, India’s challenge has been to counter the unorthodox Sri Lankan attack. The home team even has a finger spinner (Kamindu Mendis) who can bowl with either arm, and a mystery spinner Akila Dhananjaya who mixes off-breaks, googlies and leg-breaks. India have tried to counter this by maintaining a left-right combination in the crease in this series, sending left-hander Washington to bat at No. 4 alongside Virat Kohli in the last game. So far, this strategy has been completely ineffective.
Washington said coach Gautam Gambhir is taking a proactive approach as the team works to refine its strategy against spin.
“(There was a lot of input from Gambhir. He is a quality spin player. We have always seen him perform well on such wickets, especially against quality spin bowling. That is one of the reasons why we came here today to practise and find ways to work on the little things tactically. We are ready to be on top of the game tomorrow in every aspect.”
Andrew Fidel Fernando is a senior writer for ESPNcricinfo. @afidelf
