India vs Sri Lanka 2nd Test: Will Virat Kohli catch a break at second home Bengaluru?

Fans will hope the batter’s wait for more than two years to hit an international century ends at his favourite ground in the day-night Test against Sri Lanka starting on Saturday

The decibel level at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium will go up several notches when Virat Kohli walks out, especially to bat, in the second Test against Sri Lanka which starts on Saturday. The Bengaluru fans consider him their own, having been with Royal Challengers Bangalore since IPL was launched in 2008. It’s rare for a venue to be allowed full capacity as the pandemic has not entirely abated, and that seems to be for Kohli’s fans.

Kohli now resembles a great champion trying to figure out what made him tick during his glory days (ANI)

Kohli sure needs such fan backing. He now resembles a great champion trying to figure out what made him tick during his glory days. On the last visit to his IPL stomping ground in Jan 2020, he had an aura of invincibility. The pink ball under lights throws up a unique challenge to batsmen, testing them like no other conditions. For Kohli, even the pink ball had held no challenge. Three months before that ODI versus Australia in January 2020, he scored his 70th international century, in the first day-night Test played in India, at Eden Gardens.

As he prepares for another game in Bengaluru, that halo has diminished. The Test century count is stuck at 27. He is still respected, and his wicket prized, but rival bowlers are a lot more confident. They sense he is vulnerable and that if Plan A to get him doesn’t work, Plan B will.

As per the original plan, Kohli would have played his 100th Test here. A last-minute schedule change by BCCI moved the landmark game to Mohali.

His fans will hope Bengaluru changes his luck. In the first Test, he was set before being dismissed in uncharacteristic fashion, playing back instead of forward to a delivery from left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya that turned sharply and hit off-stump. That dismissal showed Kohli is battling form issues. It could be the state of mind, technical issue or even reflexes.

TEST FOR BATTERS

Pink-ball Tests have so far been tough for most batters. At Eden Gardens in 2019, the curator left a thick layer of grass to ensure the ball did not get abrasive and make it tough for batters to sight. But the game ended inside three days. Against England at Ahmedabad last year, the hosts went for a rank turner with the series tied 1-1; the Test ended inside two days. In between in December, 2020, India were shot out for their lowest score of 36 at the D/N Test in Adelaide.

Batting against the pink ball is challenging as it skids off the surface due to the extra lacquer used to preserve the shine. But the players will be calmer after taking a look at this pitch, which is not expected to provide extra help to bowlers. It’s seen as a typical track here where batters will derive value for their shots.

Acclimatisation though will be key. The teams go into the game after just three net sessions, one of them at Mohali. Facing pacers in twilight is the toughest challenge, and adjusting to the change from natural light to floodlights. The fielders will also be tested going for sharp catches.

“We are playing a pink-ball Test after a long time. We’re still very new in this format, not used to catching the pink ball, bowling with it or batting against it. We’ve addressed it in team meetings (about) the adjustments we have to make,” vice-captain and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah said.

“The pink ball is different. When fielding, it comes to you faster, and Test timings are different. In the morning session of a (day) Test, the ball swings a lot; here it may be the opposite. We start in the afternoon, the ball does not do much and as it becomes night, it does a lot more. The matches we played (earlier) were in different conditions. We cannot set parameters.”

There could be one change from the Indian eleven that won in Mohali by an innings and 222 runs. Off-spinner Jayant Yadav is likely to be replaced. It is a toss-up between pacer Mohammed Siraj and left-arm spinner Axar Patel. Patel took 11 wickets in the Ahmedabad pink-ball Test, but India may prefer three pacers and two spinners.

Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin took nine and six wickets respectively in Mohali. India’s only concern was Jadeja’s recovery after a heavy workload in the first Test, where he scored 175* and looked drained by that effort. After taking it easy at nets on Thursday, the all-rounder had a good stint on match eve, including a long batting session.

“We’ll go to the practice session and then decide on the combination. We will have a clear idea whether to have three spinners or seamers. Till the last day, we need to be sure what combination we want, make a plan, back that and do our best in the game,” Bumrah said.

Sri Lanka are under pressure after their abject surrender in Mohali. There is rush for tickets on the first two days and fans will hope Sri Lanka put up an improved show. They will need to produce a solid batting performance after being dismissed for 174 and 178.

Hamstrung in Mohali after picking a lone spinner in Embuldeniya, they are expected to add Praveen Jayawickrama, making it a twin left-arm spin attack. All-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva will bowl off-spin. Sri Lanka are sweating over the fitness of Mohali top-scorer Pathum Nissanka, who has a back problem.