In times where Test cricket is supposedly being dumbed down it is good to see that a three match series between Sri Lanka and India begins later this week. That means we will have two series dominating the cricket landscape heading into August which should keep the longer format in the spotlight.
Schedule
1st Test: 26-30 July at Galle
2nd Test: 3-7 Aug at Colombo
3rd Test: 12-16 Aug at Pallekele
Sri Lanka
The home side are in the middle of a run of Test cricket. They recently hosted Zimbabwe in a Test match last week which they won albeit in a nervy and tense affair and now they will be looking to upstage a more established side in this format of the game. They will need to be at their best if they are to do that.
Although that was a match more than a series it does count as a series win which means Sri Lanka have won three of their last five series although two of them have been against Zimbabwe. They have beaten Australia and drawn with Bangladesh at home in the last 12 months though so home conditions could be their saviour.
India
India are more known for their strengths being in the shorter formats of the game but they are as strong as anyone in the longer stuff too. India head to Sri Lanka having won their last seven Test series which makes them unbeaten since losing in Australia in 2014/15 so they are rightful favourites for this series.
To go on a run like that you have to have a balanced attack which can work in all conditions and they have that now. Their spinners will always be their strength but they have seamers who can make the ball talk and they are invaluable anywhere. When you throw in a super strong batting line up it is easy to see why they are so successful.
Head to Head
These two nations have met in 14 series in the past. India have had the better of them by winning on seven occasions with Sri Lanka successful three times and four being drawn. In Sri Lanka the home side have the edge with three wins and a couple of draws with two defeats.
Sri Lanka have won seven Tests against India and they have all been at home. In total India have 16 wins and there have been 15 draws. Six of those Indian wins and eight of the draws have been in Sri Lanka.
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Betting
Although the statistics suggest that Sri Lanka will be more of a threat to India in their own conditions I still see the gulf between these two sides as pretty big and I would be very surprised if India do not go on and win the series but at 3/10 we’re not going to get rich backing them.
It might well be that the best way of backing them is to take the 9/2 on offer that India win the series 3-0. Admittedly we might need to have some luck on our side in terms of the weather which is always flaky in that part of the world but if we get three completed matches they can all go India’s way.
Sri Lanka have left Dinesh Chandimal out of their squad for the first Test which is interesting. That makes me think that Asela Gunaratne will get a higher batting position in which case the 10/1 on him being the leading batsman for the home side in the series looks big. He will have faced some of the Indian bowlers in the nets while at the IPL and his international record in all formats is on the up. That price is too high if he bats higher than he did against Zimbabwe.
Whenever India go into a series of any kind the focus is on Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja with the ball but it has been Kuldeep Yadav who has made the biggest impact when he has played over the last 12 months or so. He is 10/1 to be India’s top bowler in this series and that looks good value. India are expected to play three spinners in this series and the Sri Lankans will have faced much less of Kuldeep than the other two and that could play to his advantage. He’s worth a go at 10/1.
Tips
WON – Back India to win 3-0 for a 2/10 stake at 5.50 with Bet365
Back A.Gunaratne Top Sri Lanka Series Batsman for a 1/10 stake at 11.00 with Bet365
Back K.Yadav Top India Series Bowler for a 1/10 stake at 11.00 with Bet365
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