Trisha Ghosal, Thiruvananthapuram
Sri Lanka have their task cut out. It is no longer about the series alone; it is now a matter of self-respect. The visitors are 2–0 down, but the bigger concern is the manner of those defeats. Sri Lanka have simply not been able to challenge India across departments. The only player who has managed to push the Indians, even if only marginally, has been their stalwart Chamari Athapaththu. It was therefore expected that Sri Lanka would respond with an intense practice session.
Though it is December, Thiruvananthapuram in the afternoon can be unmercifully hot. A cool breeze at times offered some relief, but for the most part it felt like a furnace. After warming up, the Sri Lankan team went straight into the nets. Three nets were in operation: pace bowling, spin bowling and throwdowns. Sri Lanka’s top order, Chamari Athapaththu, Vishmi Gunaratne, Hasini Perera and Harshitha Samarawickrama, all had extended batting sessions, as expected.
Athapaththu appeared to struggle in the spin bowling net. Across the nets, Sri Lankan batters made a conscious effort to play straight-batted shots, avoiding across-the-line strokes and largely steering clear of the sweep in the spin nets. Athapaththu was the only batter who attempted a few sweep shots.
In the spin bowling net, Sri Lankan spinners were guilty of bowling too short. If they offer that length to the Indian batters in the match, the crowd gathered at the Greenfield Stadium could be in for a run fest.
Sri Lankan batters were also seen practising against short balls during throwdowns, clearly preparing to counter Amanjot and Kranti. Amanjot had employed the bouncer effectively in the previous game.
Vishmi Gunaratne, after completing her main batting session, moved to the final net for additional throwdowns with a specialist. The clear focus was on hitting the ball with the top hand, likely an attempt to prevent pushing at deliveries, a flaw that led to her dismissal against Kranti in the first over of the second game. She was also seen working on the sweep shot during this session.
Once the net sessions concluded, the Sri Lankan team moved to the main ground for an additional 30–45 minutes of catching practice.
Sri Lankan captain Athapaththu mentioned in the press conference that, “We have made a few plans for tomorrow’s game.” One of those plans, clearly, is to play straighter and minimise the use of the sweep shot. What other strategies Sri Lanka have devised, and whether they can execute them under pressure, remains to be seen. At 2–0 down, Sri Lanka must get their act together quickly if they want to stay alive in the series.
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