Sangakkara expresses confidence in spin attack without Murali
Kumar Sangakkara, the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Muttiah-Muralitharan-c78157.
The Sri Lanka squad for the three-match Test series against West Indies - starting on Monday, 15th of November, at the Galle International Stadium – includes three spinners http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ajantha-c42419 Mendis, Rangana Herath and Suraj Randiv.
This is the first time that Sri Lanka will be playing a full Test series without their spin wizard Muralitharan since his retirement from the longer version of game at the same Galle venue in July after claiming his record 800th
Test wicket against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750. In a match that was won by the Lankans and Murali contributed with a match bag of ten wickets. But despite missing the spin prodigy, Sangakkara said that the spin department is in very good hands.
"We don't have Murali but we have three other bowlers, who are very capable. Mendis, Herath and Randiv have been very impressive in everything they've done", said the home skipper. "Sri Lankan spin is in very good hands and in the future
if they keep improving and working hard they'll get a lot better".
Sangakkara praised Randiv for his good form across all formats and hoped that Mendis will make a strong comeback after missing the triumphant tour of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746.
"Randiv is already the main spinner in all forms of the game, that's a meteoric rise in the last two years", he said. "Mendis has had a tough six or seven months where he's had a lot of variations in his thinking rather than in his bowling.
The time off from the pressures of international cricket has given him breathing space", added Sangakkara.
The 33-year-old all-rounder singled out Rangana Herath for special praise calling him “a more solid and experienced bowler”, and said that the spinner has done great job for the side.
Angelo Mathews is struggling with a thigh strain and might not be able to bowl tomorrow so it is expected that the side would go into the opener with a combination of two spinners and two seamers.
The home skipper feels the Galle track would favour the batsmen with some assistance for the spinners as well. "It's a nice wicket with more carry and bounce than we've ever seen".
West Indies side is being led by less experienced but enthusiastic Darren Sammy. So far Sri Lanka has played a total six home Tests against West Indies winning five of them while one ended in a draw.
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