Battle for top spot kicks off
It says something of Sri Lanka's travails on India soil that they have kept Sachin Tendulkar to 48 runs from three innings at this venue, and yet gone on to lose the Tests by whopping margins - an innings and 17 runs in February 1994 and 259 runs in December 2005. On the second occasion, with Rahul Dravid succumbing to fever on the eve of the game, it was Virender Sehwag that led the side, but with the spinners taking 17 wickets to buttress significant contributions with the bat from VVS Laxman, Irfan Pathan and Yuvraj Singh, India won comfortably. Not too many teams do, not once they've been reduced to 97 for 5 on the opening morning.
That match went into a fifth morning. The one that followed it, 18 months ago against South Africa, didn't last anything like as long with India rolled over in 20 overs on the first morning. The visitors romped to an innings victory on a grass-tinged surface, and it was worth noting that the pitch to be used for this game was as near to bald as you could get.
But while a three-day finish is unlikely, there's plenty to ponder for both sides. India's batting line-up picks itself, and the lack of big runs for Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir in the one-day arena won't be a concern as the action switches to white clothes. Dravid and Laxman are no longer part of the one-day plans, but both have been in decent form in recent first-class outings. As for Tendulkar, he'll probably be the last person to be affected by the hullaballoo over completing 20 years of Test cricket.
The worries are on the bowling front. Harbhajan Singh took 10 for 141 in that 2005 win against Sri Lanka, and Amit Mishra's outings on home soil have also hinted at game-changing qualities. The same can't be said of the pace attack though. Zaheer Khan is just back from injury and preferred to prepare with some time in the gym rather than a net session, while Ishant Sharma and Sreesanth contested the last remaining place.
"All the seamers are bowling very well right now," said MS Dhoni after the final practice. "We will see whatever suits us the best. When it comes to pace, all the three fast bowelrs that are a part of the side bowl around the same speed. I don't think speed will be a major factor. Of course, in these conditions, it does become a bit difficult for the fast bowlers. That middle period when the ball doesn't reverse and it stops swinging, it gets very hard for them to bowl. I think experience will also count at that point of time."
Despite some awful performances in the limited-overs arena in recent times, Ishant should get the nod, if only because he was the best bowler in a Test series against Australia just 12 months ago. You have to go back much further for a Sreesanth headline that didn't involve some ridiculous controversy or the other.
Sri Lanka's problem is one of plenty. Four of the top six that lost four years ago are still around, though Thilan Samaraweera and Tillakaratne Dilshan are indubitably better batsmen now than they were then. Tharanga Paranavitana has yet to convince at this level, and will clearly be targetted by India's new-ball bowlers, while it'll be interesting to see who takes the No.6 slot. With an allrounder such a luxury in the modern game, Angelo Mathews, whose bowling wrecked India in a one-day game not long ago, should get the nod ahead of Thilina Kandamby, the new-age Arjuna Ranatunga.
Prasanna Jayawardene, the best gloveman in the world, will edge out Kaushal Silva, leaving Kumar Sangakkara and Trevor Bayliss to mull over the bowling attack. Thilan Thushara and Muttiah Muralitharan are near-certainties, leaving Nuwan Kulasekara, Ajantha Mendis and Rangana Herath to tussle for two spots. At his pre-match press conference, Sangakkara pointedly said that Herath had "outbowled Murali and Mendis in the last two series [Pakistan and New Zealand at home], and there's a strong possibility that all three could play. If they decide not to go down that route, Mendis, who started his career in such sensational fashion against India just over a year ago, looks likely to miss out.
And regardless of whether you agree with the ICC rankings or not, there's the added spice of the No. 1 spot being up for grabs. A 2-0 will or better will take India to the top of the tree, while Sri Lanka success will see them scale the peak. But for that to happen, they'll need to do what no Sri Lankan team has done before. In 14 previous Tests in India dating back to 1982, they've seldom had a sniff of victory. Eight losses and six draws don't inspire confidence, but as a composed Sangakkara pointed out, there are "reputations to be made".
After nearly a year of no Test cricket on Indian soil, this one should be worth the wait.