India keen to set record straight

India will be looking to set the record straight against Sri Lanka in their backyard as they take on the hosts in a three-match limited-overs series, starting at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo, on Friday.

After a lot of rain, a bomb explosion and soap opera that saw one of the contestants calling it off from the originally scheduled tri-series, the action finally shifts to the field.

The Indians agreed to continue with the tour while South Africa pulled out of a tri-series citing "unacceptable levels" of threat to their safety in the aftermath of a bomb blast that killed seven and injured several others early this week.

Rahul Dravid and his men, after being confined to their hotel rooms for most of the time since arriving in Sri Lanka last Thursday, will be eager to have a crack at the Lankans, who have a strong record on home soil.

India thrashed their opponents 6-1 when the two met in India late last year, but they would be also mindful of their ordinary 20-21 win-loss record in the Emerald Isle.

The last time the Indians won a series in the island nation was in 1998, when they won a three-match series 2-1.

That all three matches, the second and third on Sunday and Tuesday respectively, are to be played at the SSC during the day should come as a boost for the Indians, who have won eight of their 15 matches there.

One big impediment to the Indians' ambitions though could be the inclement weather. The torrential showers which battered the capital city on the western coast for the last five days appeared to be withdrawing since last afternoon. But they returned in full force today, barely an hour after the two teams finished their morning practice sessions.

Some of the locals might have felt that the rains had been a more major cause of worry than the violence, and Dravid said as much at a media conference on Wednesday.

"We are probably worried more about the weather than the security. Hopefully, the weather will hold out from now on," he said.

"Maybe other teams' focus has gone off, but we have always remained focussed on cricket."

The teams' preparations were severely disrupted in the lead-up to the series and India have been able to play only one warm-up match.

Sachin Tendulkar would be the cynosure of all eyes as he returns from a near five-month layoff following shoulder surgery.

Tendulkar may open with Dravid as partner and Virender Sehwag could come down at number 4 but the Indian team management preferred to keep its cards close to the chest.

Focus will also be on Irfan Pathan, who struggled in the West Indies, while India will also be looking to better their one-day record in Sri Lanka.

Also making his comeback would be another veteran, Sanath Jayasuriya. The explosive Sri Lankan left-hander announced his retirement after being dropped from the Test team earlier this year before being recalled to join the squad in England in the summer.

Sri Lankan skipper Marvan Atapattu is not expected to take the field as he is recovering from a lower-back injury.

"We don't want to rush him. He is a key player for us and there is lots of cricket ahead," stand-in captain Mahela Jayawardene said.

The squads:

India: Rahul Dravid (captain), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, Sreesanth, Ramesh Powar, Ajit Agarkar, Munaf Patel, Rudra Pratap Singh and Dinesh Mongia.

Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Kumar Sangakkara, Upul Tharanga, Sanath Jayasuriya, Tillekaratne Dilshan, Marvan Atapattu, Chamara Kapugedera, Farvez Maharoof, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, Muttiah Muralitharan, Malinga Bandara, Ruchira Perera and Prasanna Jayawardene.