Sri Lanka favourites in home conditions

West Indies' decline over the last decade has been so rapid that for the first time since the 1930s, their win-loss ratio in a decade has fallen below 0.50. Their away record fell away since 1996-97, when they lost their first away series after 17 years. Since 2000, they have won six and lost 38 of their away matches, including just two wins in matches not involving Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. An indication of the team's instability is that they have had ten captains since 1997. West Indies last won an away series in 2003-04 against Zimbabwe and have lost all five Tests played in Sri Lanka since 2000.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, are a much more formidable outfit at home than away. Their home record since 2000 is next only to Australia and England. Sri Lanka have lost only one series at home in the last five years and four since 2000. They have dominated West Indies completely in both the series played in Sri Lanka, winning all five Tests. In the 2001-02 series, they comfortably triumphed 3-0 despite Brian Lara scoring 688 runs, more than 40% of the West Indies' total aggregate. They won 2-0 in 2005-06 against a weakened West Indian team, and will be firm favourites this time round against an inexperienced and unsettled team. They have won four of their last five series, with the sole draw coming in the most recent series against India.

West Indian batsmen average just 28.21 since November 2007 and just over 26 in away matches. Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul will have to shoulder the bulk of the burden in the absence of Ramnaresh Sarwan, who made three half centuries on the tour in 2001. Gayle has been in good form since the last two years scoring five centuries including two hundreds in consecutive Tests in Australia. Chanderpaul averaged more than 100 in 2007 and 2008 before seeing a dip in form last year, when he averaged just over 35. He made a century in the Test series against South Africa and is undoubtedly the mainstay of the West Indian middle order. Adrian Barath had a fantastic beginning in Australia where he made a century on debut at Brisbane. He, together with Brendan Nash and Dwayne Bravo, will provide the much needed boost to the West Indian batting.

Unlike West Indies, Sri Lanka have no problems on the batting front. All the main batsmen have been in exceptional form over the last two years and are even more dangerous in home conditions. Mahela Jayawardene averages nearly 75 at Galle in the last five years and Tillakaratne Dilshan nearly 69 at an impressive strike rate of 90. Kumar Sangakkara, though, has not had the best time at this venue averaging just over 37 with a single century. Thilan Samaraweera averages more than 80 over the last two years with three centuries and three fifties in eight home matches. Sri Lanka have had 24 century partnerships in home Tests since November 2007, the most by any team after India and Jayawardene has been involved in 11 of them. The Sri Lankan batsmen have consistently outperformed visiting batsmen and since November 2007; they average nearly 43 while visiting teams average 29.

West Indies dominated world cricket for much of the 1970s and 1980s primarily because of their superior bowling attack. The quality of the attack has declined consistently since the mid 1990s and has proved to be the worst in the world over the last two years. The inexperienced bowling attack is led by Kemar Roach, whose pace troubled most Australians including Ricky Ponting. Darren Sammy, the new captain, and Dwayne Bravo will complete the pace attack. Sulieman Benn has been the best spinner and highest wicket taker for the West Indies in the last two years, but will be under high pressure to deliver against a top batting side in batting-friendly conditions.

Muttiah Muralitharan's retirement has definitely meant that Sri Lanka have lost a huge match winner, especially in home Tests. Rangana Herath and Ajantha Mendis, though, will be a challenge in spin friendly conditions for a West Indian team traditionally weak against spin. The pace attack is definitely weaker without Chaminda Vaas and while Thilan Thushara has been the pick of the fast bowlers in the last three years, Dammika Prasad and Angelo Matthews have struggled to make inroads.

Galle has always been a venue with a fair degree of assistance to the bowlers. When compared to most of the other venues in Sri Lanka, it is the only ground where pace bowlers have been able to perform better than spinners. In the last three years, pace bowlers average 32.93 to the spinners' 34.41 and have picked up more wickets than spinners.

Sangakkara and Jayawardene have been the two best Sri Lankan batsmen for almost a decade now. They have figured in 12 century stands since January 2000, with eight of them coming in home Tests. During the same period, they were also involved in a record 624-run stand against South Africa. While Sangakkara averages 62.66 at home and 50.24 away, Jayawardene is much more prolific in home Tests, averaging 65.79 to 44.28 away. Since November 2005, Sangakkara has been equally successful against pace and spin in away Tests (Tests not involving Bangladesh and Zimbabwe) whereas Jayawardene averages nearly 20 less against pace bowlers. But in home Tests, both batsmen have been much more dominant against pace and spin. They average over 69 against pace and 85 against spinners. Perhaps the sole consolation for a pace dominated West Indies attack is that both batsmen are slightly less successful against quality pace.