A lone crow hopped on the tarpaulin covers spread across the ground. Soon the sun was a blazing orb and Gautam Gambhir and Shubman Gill strode towards the pitch.
The odd puddle became an impromptu bathing spot before the bird flew away.
India arrived early, won a warm-up fixture in Colombo before reaching this coastal town. Like the waves of the nearby Indian Ocean, Gill’s men have to be relentless. Tests demand this attribute in ample measure.
Match starts at 10 a.m.
Gill knelt down and pressed his palms on the surface. The Indian captain then had a discussion with coach Gambhir. Just as Friday wavered between whimsical rains and glorious sunshine, the Galle International Stadium geared up for the first Test pitting Sri Lanka against India here from Saturday. This two-match series is crucial in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) rankings. Placed fifth, India is hoping to register multiple triumphs and secure a berth in the WTC final. In the rival corner, stationed at the sixth position, Sri Lanka wants to retain its home fortress. Leading the host, Dhananjaya de Silva needs his batting line-up to flourish. Dinesh Chandimal is still around and in familiar conditions, his fellow batters too could find a toehold. In the oft-repeated Sri Lankan method of using spin to mount an ambush, left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya could be a key player while off-spinner Keshara Nuwantha may make his debut.