It is the fear of the unknown to some extent as both teams gear up for the third and final Test, beginning at the Brabourne stadium, in Mumbai, on Wednesday.
Before every match, the emphasis is on how the 22-yard strip will play over the course of five days. And it not surprising that the main concern of both India and Sri Lanka is how the wicket at the Cricket Club of India (CCI) will behave, especially since the venue is hosting its first Test after a gap of 36 years.
India, buoyed by the big victory in the second Test in Kanpur, are hoping to win the Mumbai Test and capture the No 1 Test ranking for the first time, while Sri Lanka are looking to end their winless streak on Indian soil by levelling the series.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni believes the first session will be crucial, as that is when the bowling team can inflict maximum damage on the opposition.
"It looks like a normal Mumbai track with the same soil, of course. There will be a bit of bounce for the fast bowlers, and, as the game progresses, you will see the spinners coming into action. They will get a bit of turn with bounce and that is what the spinners love the most.
"The first session, that is around one-and-half hour, will be crucial; that is when the seamers will get a bit of help; also, in the evening, because at this time of the year the fast bowlers, if they maintain the ball, they will be able to swing it for the last, maybe, half an hour," Dhoni said in Mumbai on Tuesday, on the eve of the match.
He said the bowlers did an exceptional job to finish off Sri Lanka inside four days in Kanpur despite the wicket not being that helpful.
"If you ask me there was no way we could have taken 20 wickets on that Ahmedabad wicket. It was that kind of track and I don't think we should be blaming the bowlers at all. If you see the Kanpur wicket, as well in the beginning, it never looked like a wicket where the game would get over with a day-and-half to go. I think the bowlers did a good job in Kanpur, both the seamers and spinners. There was a bit of luck too, otherwise we would have bowled 50 or 60-odd more overs to get those wickets. I am quite happy with the performance of our bowlers, as far as the series is concerned."
Dhoni did not dwell much on questions pertaining Gautam Gambhir, who opted out of this Test to attend his sister's wedding.
The left-hander is India's best Test batsman since the last season, having hit four centuries in his last four games.
"It is up to an individual what he feels is important. It is a very individual thing. If he felt he had to go he just needed to go. It is not about what people feel about it, it is about what he thinks about it right now," said Dhoni.
Quizzed further whether he could have returned in time for the match, he replied: "He would have come late night, which is not ideal for a Test match because of the preparation involved."
For India, the added incentive to win the Mumbai Test is the top spot in the ICC Test rankings, held by South Africa.
"I think winning the series is important, but, at the end of the day, if we do that it will reflect on the rating. We are not thinking about the ranking, because you don't really want to be under pressure, you just want to play your natural game and play according to the game plan. We don't think about the ratings because we know that if we keep winning the ratings will take care of themselves," said Dhoni.
The last time the CCI hosted a Test was way back in February 1973, between India and England, after which ticketing disputes led to the then Bombay Cricket Association building the Wankhede stadium a few miles away and hosting international and domestic games. Now, with the Wankhede being refurbished for the 2011 World Cup, the CCI got a fresh lease of life, though temporary, with the allotment of this Test.
"Playing at the CCI again will be special. This will be my first Test match here; I had played a Twenty20 game here before, but not a Test match. It will be interesting, because the atmosphere is great; we will have to wait and see how many spectators turn up for the game. Overall, the wicket looks good, the outfield is great. It is a ground where you will get value for your shots, because the outfield is quick," said Dhoni.
He dispelled doubts about S Sreesanth's finger injury, saying it is a minor one and the pacer is ready for the Test.
"He did very well in Kanpur. I don't think it was a track where the seamers were getting assistance from the wicket. There was not much bounce but, of course, there was reverse swing but the edges were not carrying to the slips. The only option you had was to get the batsmen bowled or lbw, and seeing that I think he bowled really well. He bowled good lines, in a controlled manner, and I think the change really worked for us," he added.
Despite Muttiah Muralitharan's poor showing in the series thus far -- he has taken just five wickets in the two matches at 79.20 -- Dhoni believes the veteran spinner still looms as a large threat.
"I think he has not got much assistance from the wicket and the batsmen have also played him well. They have been playing him a long time. If you look at our middle order, and even our openers, they have faced Murali a lot. If you see our schedule, we are playing [each other] every year -- either we go [there] or they come [here]; so we have seen a lot of Murali and we know what his strength is and accordingly we plan our innings. That is one of the reasons.
"He needs to work hard to get his wickets because they have played too many games. It is not that he has lost anything. He is still a very good bowler and on this track you will see the spinners coming into action. He is always a dangerous candidate to deal with," he said.
