Jayawardene to use new game plan

Mahela Jayawardene practises ahead of the series versus India

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Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene insists his team have a fresh set of plans for the five-match one-day series against India which begins on Monday.

Jayawardene might have been forgiven for wanting to stick to the same blueprint that saw his team outplay India in the three-match Test Series, but he plans to keep the tourists guessing.

The Indian one-day side is vastly different from Anil Kumble's Test team, but Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men will still have to negotiate the threat posed by Sri Lanka's spinners Ajantha Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan.

Dhoni's one-day team has already been subjected to an examination from the spin pair in the Asia Cup. India failed miserably, losing in the finals against Sri Lanka.

"We are very confident about the way we are playing," Jaywardene said. "We are developing a group of young players and the senior guys are doing a great job.

"We just need to to work hard and make sure that we do things right.

"The one-day game is a different ball game altogether and the Indians pose a very different challenge.

"We just have to make sure that we get our game plan right."

Getting off to a good start will be the first of Jayawardene’s priorities and will be looking to his most experienced and trusted pair - Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara.

Jayasuriya had set the ball rolling in the final of the Asia Cup with a battling 125 at the top of the order, reviving the Sri Lanka innings which had sunk to 66 for four at one stage.

"I was happy to be part of the Asia Cup squad. It was a pleasant experience to win the tournament," said Jayasuriya, who has retired from Test cricket.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni will lead India after sitting out the Tests

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India warmed up for the series in style, defeating a Sri Lanka XI in a tour game on Friday.

Yuvraj Singh, who has been at home after being dropped from the Test squad, smashed a 154-delivery 172 as India emerged winners by 92 runs.

But neither Mendis, who finished with a rich haul of 25 wickets in the Test series, nor Muralitharan was part of the Sri Lanka XI.

Yuvraj stressed the importance of adapting to the conditions.

"The knock in Colombo has given me a lot of confidence and I hope I can continue this form," he said.

“But I had also prepared well before coming here and am aware that the conditions in Dambulla are quite different from those in Colombo.

"It's important we play according to the conditions and not to people's expectations."

Having opted out of the Test series, Dhoni comes into the one-dayers with a period of rest behind him.

The skipper, however, was handed a blow when his most experienced player, Sachin Tendulkar, was ruled out of the series due to an injured elbow.

"It's very difficult to replace him. Not only on the field, but off it as well," said Dhoni. "He's always digging deep into his experience and advising us, so it's going to be a big loss."

Dambulla will host the first two one-dayers before the series shifts to Colombo for the last three matches.