India vs Sri Lanka Test: Team India is set to face Sri Lanka in the two-match Test series, starting from August 15. India vs Sri Lanka will be played at Galle International Stadium.
Team India had to make a last-minute change in the squad after opener; Sai Sudharsan was ruled out following injury. But like they say, someone's loss is someone's profit. Younggun Sarfaraz Khan got the opportunity to play against Sri Lanka.
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Reacting on Sarfaraz Khan's inclusion in Team India, former cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin advised the management to provide him with clarity on what they expect out of the Mumbai batter.
"If he feels he can be a suspect in some conditions," Ashwin stated on his YouTube channel, "he has to get the clarity that he has a place in the team in these conditions [subcontinental] to bat for India."
According to Ashwin, the latter would be helpful for Sarfaraz to focus on his game without having to constantly question his position in the team.
"There are players in the world who are good in certain conditions," he added. "The role they play makes them special in those conditions. New Zealand's Ajaz Patel and South Africa's Simon Harmer are great exponents of subcontinental track."
Meanwhile, Ashwin has shared his views on the priority for India's Test cricket.
As per the former off-spinner, the first priority for teams in Test matches should always be to get 20 wickets. He feels that although it may be good to score 10-20 extra runs, that should not happen at the expense of bowling.
"And if you want to score more when you have a good position in the first innings – let the tailenders keep batting when the new man comes in at number 11," Ashwin stated. "We used to have that conversation in the dressing room when one of the tailenders comes to bat with a set opener. The opener would start picking up the attacking shots so that he can spend more time at the crease."