Ssc ground: Cricket News & Match Updates

Sanjay Manjrekar: Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar feels the team management's decision to potentially replace left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav with an off-spinner for the second Test against Sri Lanka, starting at the SSC Ground on Sunday, would be an ‘understandable’ move, given the hosts' heavy reliance on left-handed batters.

Analysis of Sri Lanka's scoring in the first Test at Galle, where they lost to India by 165 runs, shows their four main left-handers made 300 of the 465 runs scored across both innings – which is roughly 64.5 per cent of the team's overall runs.

In contrast, India fielded three left-arm spinners in their XI, with Kuldeep returning modest match figures of 1-103 from 25 overs. With off-spin bowling all-rounder Saransh Jain in the squad, it means the Indian team can hand him a debut if the pitch in Colombo is too dry.   Read More...