3 Sri Lankan players who can trouble India in the Test series

India head to Sri Lanka to take on their Asian rivals in a two-match Test series set to commence with the first Test in Galle on August 15. The Sri Lankan side sits in sixth place in the World Test Championship standings, just a spot below India. They were recently beaten in a two-match Test series in the West Indies, managing a fighting draw in the second Test.

They return home to more familiar conditions, where spinners are expected to thrive, against an India side that is under somewhat of a transition and suffers key absences across its squad. Despite the lopsided match-ups in the past, the Lankan Lions do possess players who could influence the game against the Indian team.

Here are 3 Sri Lanka players who could pose a threat to India:

3. Dhananjaya de Silva

Batting all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva has been a mainstay for the Lankan Lions in their red-ball team. De Silva has scored 4320 runs in 67 matches, averaging 39.27 and having scored 13 centuries. Six of those have come at home, and he will once again be primed to play his role as Sri Lanka’s middle-order rock.

The experienced campaigner comes into this series on the back of a century in the first Test against the West Indies, scoring a well-made 129. He scored an unbeaten 119 against India the last time the Men in Blue toured their island neighbours and will be looking to add to that figure on this occasion.