After winning the second test match against Sri Lanka, India is entering the final test with a lot of confidence. In this match as well the Indian side will look for a clean getaway. But the challenge in front of Indian team can not be underestimated as very few sides have defeated Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. On the team strategy and confidence level Indian captain Kumble told the reporters - “In terms of confidence, in terms of strategy, we have done whatever we can to ensure we win the Test and the series.”

India has gone long without stringing two Test wins together, last achieving this in 2005, when it defeated Sri Lanka at Delhi and Ahmedabad. The P. Saravanamuttu Stadium, the venue of this test match has a great cricket legacy. Sir Donald Bradman and the Invincibles played here in 1948. Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lankan captain scored a century in the fourth-innings pursuit of 352 against South Africa in 2006. So in this test as well the aggressive Lankan batsmen will try to gather maximum scores.

Both the teams are expected to come without many changes. Both the sides will make a change each. On Indian front Parthiv Patel will replace Dinesh Karthik behind the stumps. On the Lankan side either Thilan Thushara, the left-armer, or Dammika Prasad will play in Nuwan Kulasekara’s place.

As far as the pitch is concerned, India’s bowling side appears better stocked than the hosts. Harbhajan Singh, who at Galle claimed his first ten-for outside India, will surely try to get the leverage from this surface. Kumble has so far not come up with his best so this test will be a good chance to strike the Lankans.

Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma are also there to defend Indian side. Both of them are expected to get better results on this pitch. On the batting side Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir are going to be the best bets. Both the batsmen showed at Galle that they have the stamina to tame Muttiah Muralitharan and Mendis.

The biggest cause of concern is the the famed Indian middle-order. The middle order has failed miserably in last two tests. They have given only one half-century by V.V.S. Laxman in this series. So if by any chance the Indians lose some early wickets then much will again depend on the middle order.

This test match is coming the way of few greats of Indian cricket, so today they do have the chance to prove that they are not the old vulnerable lions rather they can still roar on the ground! On Lankan side the whole team will come more aggressively after their last loss in second test match. The team has some of the best batsmen and trickiest of bowlers of world. There is a lot of pressure on both the sides, so the team which is able to maintain its cool, is bound to win.

The loss of coach Gary Kirsten - who has returned to South Africa to be with his ill mother – may have an impact on the Indian camp but there is certainly enough knowledge and experience in the team that coach’s absence should not affect the team.

The sides:
Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Michael Vandort, Malinda Warnapura, Kumar Sangakkara, Thilan Samaraweera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Thushara, Dammika Prasad, Chamara Kapugedera, Chamara Silva, and Nuwan Kulasekara.

India: Anil Kumble (capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, V.V.S. Laxman, Parthiv Patel (wk), Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma, Zaheer Khan, Rohit Sharma, R.P. Singh, Munaf Patel, Pragyan Ojha, and Dinesh Karthik.

Umpires: Rudi Koertzen and Mark Benson; Television umpire: Billy Doctrove; Match referee: Alan Hurst.

Hours of play (IST): 10.15 a.m. to 12.15 p.m., 12.55 p.m. to 2.55 p.m., and 3.15 p.m. till close.