It's time for India to go to Sri Lanka again, and everyone will be looking to stuff themselves gluttonously with runs. It's a chance for Muttiah Muralitharan to up his batting average of 39 from the last series, and for Sanath Jayasuriya to work on his of 190.33. Meanwhile, Anil Kumble, Rajesh Chauhan and Nilesh Kulkarni, who between them bowled 220 overs for 694 runs in a single innings last time, will gladly have their feet up in front of the telly. As will Debasis Mohanty, who rejoices in his coup over Venkatesh Prasad. (Both sufferers last time, Prasad was picked ahead of Mohanty on this tour.)

The jibes could go on - the 1997-98 rubber and the one-off Asian Test Championship match 18 months later were, by popular consensus, so drab they should have been banned. But as 13 of the 18 Tests in Sri Lanka since then have yielded results, there's reason to expect better this time.

Injury has shorn India of its offensive tools. After twelve years and 84 Tests, Sachin Tendulkar isn't there. Will it be as bad as feared? In one-day cricket, India lose 9 % more without him. Their reliance on him in Tests is far greater.

He has finished only five of 18 series (of three or more Tests) without a century; in two of those he wasn't old enough to drive. Against Sri Lanka, he has made more than 1000 runs and scored six centuries, all at an average of more than 80.

But numbers alone cannot capture the soothing calm he brings to the dressing room. Whatever the bowling, whichever the pitch, captain and coach know Tendulkar will score runs. They will also miss VVS Laxman, at home because of an injured right knee, and his ability to change any script from No. 3.

Two from Mohammad Kaif, Hemang Badani, Dinesh Mongia and Jacob Martin need to be plugged in to the middle order. Kaif who in the one Test he played, against South Africa, offered a broad and straight bat without scoring many, and Badani, whose decline hasn't yet reached panic levels, are likely to be the first choices at Nos. 3 and 6. Hopefully, neither of them will be required to open.

Ashish Nehra misses out because of a groin strain but Zaheer Khan, shin passed fit, adds edge to a pace attack entrusted to dangerously tired legs. Javagal Srinath, the spearhead, bites occasionally but is almost never a threat after lunch. Prasad has all the wiles that come from being around for seven years, but needs favourable conditions to be a genuine wicket-taker. They will need to break through early and keep it tourniquet-tight for Harbhajan Singh to strike from the other end.

Sri Lanka is the better team. Muralitharan will lead the pack but Dilhara Fernando, the fastest bowler in the sub-continent in the absence of Shoaib Akhtar and Shabbir Ahmed, will have to be keenly watched. Particularly by Sourav Ganguly. Not only is Fernando quick, he also has the fast bowler's length that Ganguly is known to hate. Without Tendulkar, never has India needed Ganguly to find his Test form so badly.

Sanath Jayasuriya, if current form and past performances against India are anything to go by, will be the prize catch. Then there's Marvan Atapattu, who likes to roll out the Asigiriya pitch from his kit bag (two doubles and a century in five Tests at Kandy); Mahela Jayawardene, who will fondly remember his 242 in the Asian Test Championship; and the ever-improving Russel Arnold. Hashan Tillekeratne has been recalled to stand firm at No. 5 or 6. At 34, and with two years since his last Test, he's the one weak link.

But it's not like India haven't scored runs recently. They've just been outscored. The series will be decided by the side who takes more wickets. And the pitches.

Rahul Bhattacharya is a staff writer with Wisden Online India

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