India vs Sri Lanka: Galle crosswinds add a layer of intrigue to contest

Indian players during a training session in Galle, Sri Lanka. (ANI Photo)

The outcome of the opening Test between India and Sri Lanka, beginning on Saturday in Galle, may be determined not just by the nature of the pitch but by how quickly India’s spinners adapt to the venue’s tricky crosswinds.

The picturesque Galle International Stadium, situated beside the Indian Ocean and overlooked by the historic 17th-century Galle fort, has long been a happy hunting ground for spinners.Former India left-arm spinner V Raju believes the winds, particularly the crosswinds, could add a layer of unpredictability to the contest. “Due to the venue’s location, the wind is going to be a factor in the drift the spinners can generate,” Raju told TOI.

“There will be crosswinds, so it will depend on how quickly they adjust to it.”

Crosswinds can influence the ball’s trajectory, allowing a spinner to purchase greater drift by combining greater revs on the ball to make it float or curve. For batters, that extra fraction of movement could be pivotal in deciding between smothering the drift and getting the outside edge. Nine years ago, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja utilised Galle Stadium’s open setting and robust crosswinds to bamboozle the Sri Lankans with drift and guile.

India have arrived on these shores with a wide array of spin options. They have the experience of left-arm spinner Jadeja, who played a crucial role in India’s win in Galle in 2017, the tricks of left-arm wrist spinner bowler Kuldeep Yadav, the precision of left-arm spinner Manav Suthar plus greenhorn off-spinner Saransh Jain.

Maninder Singh, another former India left-arm spinner, reckons Suthar could be instrumental to India’s prospects.

“He has a rhythmic action with a beautiful seam position. Galle’s crosswinds could be his weapon, provided he learns to use it to his advantage,” Maninder said. The 24-year-old Suthar impressed on debut against Afghanistan, taking 7/62. He followed it up with 11 wickets in two county games for Warwickshire.Maninder also termed Kuldeep a rare talent who deserves a spot in the playing XI regardless of the conditions. “Kuldeep is a bowler who must get more opportunities. I’ve mentioned before that if he had played all the matches during the England tour last year, we would have won the series 3-1,” he said.Yet, the spotlight need not belong to the established names. That’s because at Galle, the best bowler may not be the one who swings the ball the most or turns it square. It may be the one who harnesses the wind the best.