Focus will be on pacemen

India and Sri Lanka hope their fast bowlers will set the tone on a grassy pitch for the first game of a three-Test series which starts on Tuesday.

"We haven't seen one like this in Sri Lanka. It looks like a decision pitch," Sri Lankan skipper Sanath Jayasuriya told reporters after inspecting the playing surface.

Sri Lanka have won three of their five Tests at Galle but India will be playing their first at the southern seaside venue.

India have named four pacemen in a 12-man squad with off-spinner Harbhajan Singh the lone slow bowler.

"Looking at the wicket, we might go in with three seamers. It is going to be a good challenge. For our fast bowlers it is good to have grass on the wicket," India captain Sourav Ganguly said.

Harvinder Singh could be the man to miss out with veteran duo Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad along with left-armer Zaheer Khan set to start.

But Ganguly also felt the wicket may not turn out to be as lively as it looked.

"The bottom is much drier, under the grass. There might be lot of grass on it but still it may turn out there is still not much pace," Ganguly said.

TENDULKAR'S ABSENCE

With Sachin Tendulkar and Vangipurappu Laxman ruled out because of injuries, a largely inexperienced Indian batting line-up will come under pressure to perform.

Jayasuriya felt his team could gain from their absence.

"Obviously, you can't replace Sachin. So we have a psychological advantage. But Sourav and (Rahul) Dravid are very good players and we can't underestimate them," he said.

Youngster Mohammad Kaif, who played his only Test in last year's home series against South Africa, and left-hander Hemang Badani who made his debut in the recent series in Zimbabwe, will take the two slots left vacant by Tendulkar and Laxman's absence.

Sri Lanka will include 34-year-old left-hander Hashan Tillekaratne, recalled after a two-year absence, to add experience to their batting line-up.

"We need to work hard because the record has not been very good in test matches. Our batsmen have played well on and off but they have not been consistent," Jayasuriya said.

The last time Sri Lanka played at the venue, they beat England in the first game of a three-Test series earlier this year before the visitors came back to claim the series 2-1.

The Galle Test will be followed by matches at Kandy (August 22-26) and Colombo (August 29-September 2).

The squads:
India: Sourav Ganguly (captain), Shiv Sundar Das, Sadagoppan Ramesh, Mohammad Kaif, Rahul Dravid, Hemang Badani, Sameer Dighe (wicketkeeper), Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad, Harvinder Singh.

Sri Lanka: Sanath Jayasuriya (captain), Marvan Atapattu, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Hashan Tillekaratne, Russel Arnold, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Chaminda Vaas, Dilhara Fernando, Ruchira Perera, Muttiah Muralitharan, Suresh Perera, Dulip Liyanage, Thilan Samaraweera, Michael Vandort, Avishka Gunawardene.

Mail Cricket Editor