India aim to finish series against Lankans with win

New Delhi [India], Dec 1 (ANI): India will aim to replicate their past Test glories against Sri Lanka as the Virat Kohli-led side takes the Lankan Lions in third and concluding Test in New Delhi from Saturday.

India are currently leading the three-match series 1-0 after registering a wide margin win against the below-par Islanders in the second Test and settling for a draw in the first.

However, as the two teams gear up for their last Test appearance, the hosts are yet to decide on their openers for the match.

India played with Murali Vijay and K L Rahul as openers in the Nagpur Test, but with Shikhar Dhawan back in the squad, India are struck with an opening dilemma.

Now, it is on skipper Kohli to choose among the three.

Openers Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul went through a batting debacle in the first innings of the first Test but enjoyed a fruitful second innings with scores of 94 and 79 respectively.

Dhawan opted out of the second Test, which brought Murali Vijay, who was kept out of playing XI in the first Test, to open with Rahul.

The Tamil Nadu cricketer hit a stunning 128 in the second Test.

However, Rahul, 25, will also look forward to scoring for the team after being suspended cheaply in the previous two Tests.

On the bowling side, Fast bowler Mohammed Shami is likely to return after injury which kept him out of the Nagpur game.

Looking at the Sri Lankan side, the tourists will look to depart with a little pride from here as they have an embarrassing record on Indian soil of not winning a single Test here.

But injured veteran left-arm spinner Rangana Herath has added to the Lankans's woes.

Even worse, Angelo Mathews, who was supposed to take Sri Lanka, has been woefully out of form.

For India, the match to be played at the green wicket at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground will also provide the team with a good experience before the South Africa tour, for which they anyway do not have time to prepare.

India have enjoyed quite a home series for now and would like to end the home play on a win to boost confidence for the scheduled away from home series.

The team will begin their new year's campaign with three Tests against South Africa followed by the two marquees away series -- five matches against England and four against Australia at the back-end of the year.

Probable Squads:

India: Virat Kohli (c), Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Vijay Shankar, Kuldeep Yadav.

Sri Lanka: Dinesh Chandimal (c), Dimuth Karunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Lahiru Thirimanne, Niroshan Dickwella, Angelo Mathews, Dilruwan Perera, Jefferey Vandersay, Roshan Silva, Dashun Shanaka, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Gamage, Lakshan Sandakan, Dhananjaya de Silva.(ANI)