Sangakkara wants a clean slate

Kumar Sangakkara said: “We have to try and put the Test series behind us” after Sri Lanka's 2-0 defeat to hosts India

Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara has urged his players to banish thoughts of their defeat in the Test series against India and concentrate on the two-match Twenty20 series which begins in Nagpur tomorrow.

Sangakkara’s side had hoped to secure their first Test victory in India.

Instead, they lost the three-Test rubber 2-0, which saw them slip from second to fourth in the International Cricket Council’s Test rankings.

Sangakkara is now hoping to start afresh. “We have to try and put the Test series behind us,” he said.

“We have a lot of hard work to do all around to keep improving and we have a good opportunity in these two Twenty20 games.

“The motivation is always there but we need to start from scratch,” he said.

Having reached the final of the ICC World Twenty20 in England in June this year, when they lost to Pakistan, Sri Lanka are among the strongest sides in the shortest form of the game.

Their squad for the 20-over version of the game is vastly different from the Test team with veteran Sanath Jayasuriya expected to open the innings alongside Tillakaratne Dilshan.

Chamara Kapugedera is also set to return to the middle order which also comprises the likes of Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews and Sangakkara himself, all making for a strong batting order.

But Sangakkara, who will take wicketkeeping duties to ensure a better balance in the team, admits he is concerned with the bowling.

“Our bowling lacked penetration in the Tests,” he added. “If you can’t tie a batsman down for more than an over from one side, it becomes very difficult to exert continuous pressure."

Muttiah Muralitharan is a doubt for the two Twenty20 matches due to a finger injury he sustained during a football warm-up

Off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has all but ruled himself out of the Twenty20 games due to a finger injury sustained in a warm-up football match during the Test series.

“Two ligaments are damaged in the finger and it will take a few days to recover,” Muralitharan said. “I don't think I will be fit for the Twenty20s."

The availability of paceman Lasith Malinga should provide Sangakkara with some relief, while the uncapped Muthumudalige Pushpakumara, along with Nuwan Kulasekara, Chanaka Welegedara and spinner Ajantha Mendis, provide the skipper with enough options.

India, winners of the inaugural World Twenty20 in South Africa two years ago, have fared poorly in the shortest format of the game since then.

They lost both matches in a series away to New Zealand earlier this year and also failed to progress beyond the group stages of the World Twenty20.

India have three uncapped players in the side - off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and medium-pacers Ashok Dinda and Sudeep Tyagi – to complement pacemen Ashish Nehra, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth and Ishant Sharma.

India have not lost a match at the VCA Stadium and tomorrow’s game will be played on the same surface which saw India amass 349 in a one-day international against Australia in October.