The leg spinner Amit Mishra has been called back in the Indian test team for the 3-match test series against Sri Lanka that is starting next month.
The success of the leggies on the Sri Lankan soil of late probably contributed to Mishra’s selection.
The recall of a veteran like Mishra has however proved that there is not that much in the spin bowling stocks of India at present.
Harbhajan Singh, another veteran, who had made his comeback in the one off test match against Bangladesh, retained his spot in the squad.
There would be competition between Mishra and Harbhajan for the spot of the second spinner in the playing XI.
Ravichandran Ashwin is by far India’s first choice spinner at the moment. So, his spot is more or less guaranteed.
There might be a situation where all these three spinners can play together if Virat Kohli, the Indian captain, decides to play with a 5, 1, 5 combination with Wriddhiman Saha occupying the no. 6 slot in the batting order as the wicketkeeper batsman and then, Ashwin coming at 7 to be followed by the tail-enders.
Kohli has actually said in the past that he is someone who always prefers to go with 5 specialist bowlers as he believes they are the ones who win the test matches.
If the composition of the XI happens to be like that, then Cheteshwar Pujara will have to miss out like he had to in Bangladesh.
India can’t have a better chance than this to beat Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka in a test series.
The Sri Lankan team is probably at its weakest in the recent times with the legends like Mahela Jayawardene and Tilakaratne Dilshan retiring and the young players finding it tough to get into their shoes.