India shuffle batting order

India will make a minor change to their batting line-up as they go into the second Test against Sri Lanka 1-0 down and without injured fast bowler Javagal Srinath.

Rahul Dravid will move up a spot to number three and skipper Saurav Ganguly will come in next, ahead of youngsters Mohammad Kaif and Hemang Badani, for the game starting on Wednesday.

"Rahul has been batting positively. If he scores early on it is good for the lower order," Ganguly told reporters.

India will play either medium-pacer Harvinder Singh or left-arm spinner Rahul Sanghvi in place of Srinath -- who has returned home with a broken hand suffered while batting in the first Test. Both bowlers have been named in the 12-name side.

Ganguly said left-hander Badani will play despite making only six and five runs in the Galle Test which Sri Lanka won by 10 wickets in four days.

"We can't drop a guy after one Test. He looks to be a better player than a few others. So we've got to back him," he said.

Ganguly, who is hoping to find his own batting form after going without a 50 in 12 innings, was confident his team could bounce back.

"There is no reason to be down. We have been in this position before and come back. We just have to keep fighting," he said.

A hard and green wicket has been prepared for the game which is expected to help the pacemen in the first three days.

SUSPECT ACTION

A poor record at the Asgiriya stadium and Suresh Perera's bowling action will worry Sri Lanka as they gear up to claim the three-Test series.

Perera, a 23-year-old fast bowling all-rounder, was reported for suspect action at Galle.

"It is a little bit disturbing. He is a young player, played only two Tests. But he has got to go through the process," Sri Lankan coach Dav Whatmore told reporters.

Perera, reported by West Indian umpire Steve Bucknor, can continue to play but umpires are free to report him again. The Sri Lankan board has six weeks to help him rectify his action and report back to the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Whatmore and Jayasuriya said Perera was very much in the reckoning for the Kandy game and if he did not play another all-rounder would be preferred.

Uncapped Thilan Samaraweera, a 24-year-old off-spinner also known for his batting, would be an option, Jayasuriya said. Whatmore said only the odd delivery by Perera was questioned. "We are confident his action will be of no concern to anyone in the very near future. Some occasional deliveries have caused some concern. But that is fine," he said. India will find some solace from Sri Lanka's poor record in Kandy. They lost their last three Tests there against Pakistan, South Africa and England. Sri Lanka have lost six of their 11 Tests in Kandy, winning two and the drawing the others.

Mail Cricket Editor