Updated on August 28, 2015: After thrashing Sri Lanka in the second Test match, Kohli and his boys now take on the hosts in the series decider. The last Test match starts in Colombo and new faces are expected in both the lineups.
Speaking weather-wise, there's not much good news on the first two days of the match. Day and Day 2 are likely to witness some good rain showers in the afternoon and evening hours. Intensity of rain is expected to decrease on Day 3 but short interruptions may continue. Much better conditions are likely on the last two days of the Test match. Only light patchy rainfall is expected on Day 4 and Day 5. However, every time it rains, the groundstaff will have to break their backs to make the ground play ready as quickly as possible.
India will see the return of Cheteshwar Pujara as opener Murali Vijay has been left out due to an injury. Moreover, Naman Ojha comes into the side and is likely to play the role of a wicket-keeper batsman. However, rumors indicate that KL Rahul will don the gloves. Sri Lanka may also look to make a couple of changes and give other youngsters a shot at fame.
The series decider is of utmost importance as India look to register a series win against Sri Lanka in over two decades. Also, the team's Test form has not been impressive either. From Australia to Sri Lanka, Kohli's team has lost matches where victory was just round the corner. With rain eating away at the time, it remains to be seen how well the two sides fair. As usual, the winner takes it all.
Updated on August 20, 2015: The second Test match between India and Sri Lanka is scheduled to be played in Colombo. The two teams won't be traveling anymore as the remaining two Test matches of the series will be played here only. Sri Lanka have taken a surprising 1-0 lead in the series after the magical turnaround at Galle.
Weather is not expected to cause much problems for the two teams at Colombo. As reiterated by Skymet, light rain did occur at Galle during the first Test match, but rain chose to stay away from the region during match hours. Speaking of Colombo, the city witnesses mostly partly conditions during this time of the year. Southwest Monsoon remains active over Sri Lanka and hence light passing showers are quite common. But forecast suggests that good rains are likely on Day 3 and 4 (August 22 and 23) in the afternoon. Weather is likely to play along for most part of the game with the exception of short spells of spot rainfall.
Virat Kohli will look to walk the talk after all this time. His team's fighting spirit has been acknowledged but the captain's conversion to victories is still pending. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara will finally call it a day here in Colombo after the second Test. After registering a memorable win at Galle, Mathews and his boys will be willing to gift a farewell victory to Sanga. The action unfolds at Colombo's P Sara Oval and fans from both sides are hoping for a big win. While Kohli's win will be a statement in itself, Mathews' victory will ensure a befitting farewell to Sri Lanka' batting legend Kumar Sangakkara.
Updated on August 10, 2015: The first Test match between India and Sri Lanka is set to be played in Galle on Wednesday. The two teams will play three Test matches at two different locations in Sri Lanka. Galle will host the opening Test and the remaining two will be played in Colombo. As far as weather is concerned, rain is likely to cause multiple interruptions and even washouts during this series.
When it comes to understanding the reason behind scheduling matches in Sri Lanka during Monsoon, every cricket fan is left puzzled with no definite answer in hand. It seems history will repeat itself this year too as India and Sri Lanka will battle a phase of team transition and Monsoon both.
The first Test will stretch from August 12 to August 16. Good showers are expected early in the morning and late night in Galle on August 12, 13, and 14. Spells of light rain are also expected throughout the day. The intensity of rainfall will pick up on August 15 and heavy rain is likely on the last two days of the Test match.
Players and fans can expect multiple interruptions during the match. In any case, the entire series will be riddled with multiple spells of rain. As Kohli leads a fairly young side against a new-look Sri Lanka, fans will be praying to the rain gods to show mercy on the game of cricket.
Coming back to cricket per se, Kohli’s Test squad will be an aggressive and attacking unit comprising of five bowlers. Whereas Sri Lanka, who were humbled by Pakistan earlier in the year, will be looking to consolidate as a young unit and taste an inspiring victory at last. Experts believe it won’t be a well fought battle and Team India is likely to emerge victorious. But uncertainties continue to prevail, both in terms of cricket as well as weather. Skymet will keep you updated on cricket, weather, and more as Test cricket resumes in the Indian sub-continent.
(Featured Image Credit: NDTV)
