We have come here with a mindset to win a Test match: Chandimal

After a humdinger of a first Test in Kolkata that ended with Sri Lanka managing to eke out a draw, the team is looking to execute its plans and put India under pressure in the second Test at Nagpur.

Sri Lanka did manage to do that to an extent in Kolkata, with Suranga Lakmal denting India’s top-order, but threw away the advantage as Virat Kohli pulled the home side back with a landmark 50th international century in the second innings that, along with a top-notch bowling effort from Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami, almost gave India victory.

Going into the second Test, Dinesh Chandimal, the Sri Lanka captain, said that the aggressive approach has not changed and that the team would continue to play the same brand of cricket.

“We learned a lot from the last Indian series in Sri Lanka,” he said on Thursday (November 23). “The most important thing is we came here to win the series. Our attitude has changed. Most importantly we have come here with a mindset to win a Test match.”

Sri Lanka has never won a Test in India, and Chandimal admitted that beating India in its own backyard was a huge challenge.

“If you take the Indian team, it is a very good side,” he explained. “It is a big challenge for us as a team to come here and win a game or a series. But I am sure we can do some miracle here. We have to do our basics, stick to our game plans. In the middle we have to execute our game plans. If we can do that we can put India under pressure. We are looking at that as a team.”

There was plenty of grass on the pitch for the Kolkata Test, with India eyeing the tour of South Africa that awaits it after the Sri Lankans series. Chandimal reckoned the pitch in Nagpur would be slightly different.

“There is not much grass on this wicket,” he said. “We saw so much grass at Eden Gardens. This is much less. We saw the wicket, and it’s a good Test wicket. The first few days will be good for the batters, and then it might turn. That’s the kind I can think it is.

“We have looked at a six- five combination or six- four plus all-rounder, but we will make the call tomorrow morning.”

Chandimal also defended Lahiru Gamage, the right-arm seamer, and Rangana Herath, the veteran left-arm spinner, after their ordinary outing in the first Test. Herath went wicketless while Gamage’s figures in the first match read 17.3 -5-59-2 and 23-3-97-1 even as Lakmal, his new ball partner, kept India on its toes.

“Calcutta was his (Gamage) second game. His first game was in Dubai and he did well against Pakistan,” said Chandimal. “You can have a bad day and you can have a bad game. He is a really good player. He has lot of experience having played quite a bit of domestic cricket. I am sure he will be a good asset especially when bowling on a wicket like this.

“We also know that R Ashwin and (Ravindra) Jadeja are ranked pretty high. With the green tops we got in Calcutta, he (Herath) wasn’t that effective. Against Ashwin and Jadeja we have some plans up our sleeves. On these wickets, he can be handy. We have Dilruwan (Perera) as well in our ranks.”