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We are much more confident after win says
15th November 2017
As Sri Lanka gear up to take on India for another Test series after their sweeping loss earlier this August, Sri Lankan Captain Dinesh Chandimal feels that the new squad is much more confident after their win against Pakistan.
When asked about the difficulty they have to bear after the last series the skipper said, "We already know India is number one especially in the test cricket. They have played some really good cricket the last two years. Actually it was a tough series against them in Sri Lanka but at the same time we have a younger lot and we just have to get the positives out of the last series. We are much confident than the last series especially after winning against Pakistan. We have really good confidence and I am sure guys are in good shape so we are looking forward to the series."
"As you said you know their next tour is South Africa..so they all think about that series so as a team we need to do the right things specially when there's debacle. So we have to execute our plans. We will but they are good with the experience," he said responding to a question asking will it be a preparatory series for India.
While the away team has a lot to cover up and with the fielding they have they need to improvise and better. The combination of six batsmen and five bowlers that happened to be effective against Pakistan might fare them well in this series.
The captain said, "Specially in Dubai and Abu Dhabi we all know that the weather is really hot and that is why we used five bowlers and six batsmen. You know that's the combination we are lookin at you know especially if you want to ball in a series you need to get twenty wickets. We haven't decided anything so we need to see the pitch first and then we'll decide what we are going to play the next morning. We saw the pitch yesterday and it was green and hard so it may be the seamers who will come into play in this game."
Speaking about the role that Matthews with have to offer in this series the captain said, "If he's bowling it gives us more confidence and we can balance our side well but his injuries. He can't bowl especially in test cricket but looking at his experience you know he was unbelievable in twenty-twenty in 2014 and I am sure he will put in his best in this series and for the batting unit he will give a very good confidence in this series especially after his arrival."
His presence as bowler might have been effective against the Indian attack but his injuries have been keeping him off the bowling track. Given the amount of experience he has the team has been wanting him to contribute more as an effective batsmen in this series. The skipper said, "Yeah, he is going to bat at number four position so that's what we are looking at because he has got all the experience and that's what would be better to send him top of the order and get maximum out of him."
With all the areas being covered and crucial areas being focused on the away skipper said, "One thing that we have done is playing five bowlers. If you are playing against a good team you have to take twenty wickets to win the game. That's one area we are looking at and our fielding. We need to keep our energy throughout the five days so both are the areas we have to cover as a team and implement those things in the series."
Addressing the question about their struggle against the Indian seamers he said, "Looking at the last series we've played really good against the seamers. They were really competent and playing with grass on the wicket. They were more than competent to play in that type of a condition so I am sure we need to get a good start. Top four and then we can continue after that."
CAB MEDIA DESK
Saptaswa Mukerjee
