All change for Sri Lanka in final Test

India's surprise series leveling victory in Kandy has forced a radical re-think by the Sri Lankan selectors, who are set to make three changes for the crucial final Test in Colombo, as the home side looks to end a 16-month spell without a series win, whilst India set their sights on their first overseas Test series triumph since 1993..

Sri Lanka will retain the same formation of six batsmen, one all rounder and four frontline bowlers, but will drop 34-year-old batsman Hashan Tillakaratne, fast bowling allrounder Suresh Perera and left arm pace bowler Ruchira Perera.

Off spinning allrounder Thilan Samaraweera, who has captained Sri Lanka A in three successive series, will make his debut alongside top order batsman Michael Vandort, who scored a century for a Sri Lankan board XI in India's only warm-up game.

Dulip Liyanage has been chosen in place of Ruchira Perera, surprisingly left out of the final 14-man squad after two modest, but by no means poor, performances in Galle and Kandy. The 29-year-old Liyanage, however, who played the last of his eight Tests way back in 1993/94 in Lucknow, has been consistently impressive in the practice nets and will also strengthen the lower order.

Such wholesale changes after their seven-wicket defeat in the second Test could easily be interpreted as a sign of panic, but, in fact, it's probably more an admission that the wrong side had been selected in Kandy.

Suresh Perera looked short of confidence after being reported by umpire Steve Bucknor in Galle for having a suspect action and bowled just twelve overs in the game. With hindsight he should have been rested until the doubts over his action had been eased.

With the batting having been pinpointed as the primary reason for Sri Lanka' s defeat the 21-year-old Vandort was always likely to play in Colombo and is expected to bat at number three, forcing Kumar Sangakkara to drop down to number five.

The choice then came down to Tillakaratne and Samaraweera for the number seven slot. Though an extra batsman would have been comforting, the selectors settled for the positive option of an allrounder, which gives them greater options in the field, but does not significantly weaken the batting, as Samaraweera is renowned to be a tenacious and solid batter.

Sanath Jayasuriya, speaking after the team's final practice, called for his team to play positive cricket: "We didn't play well in Kandy, but that is history now. This is a fresh game and the team must think positively and not put themselves under pressure. The players must relax and enjoy themselves."

He, though, stressed once again that the batsmen have to show greater responsibility: "The batsmen are in good form, but they have been getting out in the 30's and 40's. When we get set we have to go on to make a big score."

Coach Dav Whatmore pointed out that the failure of the batsmen in Kandy revolved around the mental approach of the individuals concerned: "There is no technique problem. We have shown that we can score heavily. However, it seems to me that we can win by a large margin, but when it gets close, we find it difficult. Sometimes we suffer from a rush of blood."

"The players have to give 100 per cent and be totally committed," he warned. "They must adopt that attitude that 'everything depends on me' not on anyone else."

India, initially disappointed by their boards refusal to send Ajit Agarkar, which was confirmed by the Indian captain today, may now be somewhat relieved, as they are considering playing 28-year-old Bombay legspinner Sairaj Bahutule, as the fourth bowler in place of Harvinder Singh.

India, it seems, believe that the ball will turn appreciably. Sourav Ganguly commented that: "This does not look to be the normal bouncy SSC wicket and I think it will turn by day three."

India are therefore expected to bat first if they win the toss. "We will have a look in the morning and see how damp it is, but right now it looks like a bat first wicket," said Ganguly.

The curator Ranil Abeynaike, though, was singing a different song, promising plenty of "pace and bounce" throughout the game with the prospect of lateral movement for the fast bowlers on day one.

Jayasuriya also commented that there was more grass on the wicket than there had been in the last game England, when the ball turned sideways, and he expects there to be plenty of encouragement for the pace bowlers. Sri Lanka are expected to field first if they win the toss.

Ganguly pointed out that: "The mood within the side is good, but there was no chance of complacency after the Kandy Test. We just want play good cricket here. If we play well and take it session by session then the result should take care of itself."

He defended the decision to retain Hemang Badani after three failures so far in the series: "Hemang deserves another opportunity. He is struggling a bit and not playing like he did in Zimbabwe, but it's not right to drop a batsman after two games. Hemang has potential and maybe he will make a mark in this Test."

India have not won a Test series overseas since 1993 when Mohammad Azharuddin's side defeated Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club to win the series 1-0. There have been two matches since between India and Sri Lanka at SSC, both of which have been drawn.