Ind vs SL: Team India's dress rehearsal on not-so-green track

The third and final Test against Sri Lanka at the Ferozeshah Kotla starting here on Saturday will bring down curtains on India's long and successful home Test season. And skipper Virat Kohli would be eager to finish it off in style, wrapping up the series 2-0 before taking on South Africa in their own den.

However, before that Kohli has few creases to iron out. His Delhi teammate Shikhar Dhawan is back in the squad after taking a break for personal reasons and is certain to start in the playing eleven. So, who must now be left out of the playing XI is a question that must be bothering Kohli because both Murali Vijay and KL Rahul have been in good form.

Rahul has a solid 79-run knock on Kolkata's testing pitch to his credit while Murali Vijay boasts of solid technique and a century in Nagpur to fall upon.

It would all depend on the Kotla track, which is greenish but does not look as menacing as Eden Gardens. The memories of December 27, 2009, when India vs Sri Lanka One-day game was called off after just 23 deliveries, must have stopped local curators from taking any uncalled-for risk.

That's the reason visitors are not happy to see the Kotla strip. "If you look at the wicket here, I'm not sure they've (India) prepared it for South Africa. It looks like the Nagpur pitch," Dinesh Chandimal questioned Indian preparations for the upcoming tough SA tour.

"The Kolkata track was similar to the ones in South Africa but these two are not like that. So, I'm also surprised, they are saying they're preparing for South Africa and they've given these kind of wickets."

Having lost the second Test in Nagpur with an innings margin, Lankans are worried that the psychological edge gained in Kolkata has come to nought with the abject surrender in the second Test. The blame falls on their batsmen, who have not only failed to tackle Indian pacers but also off-spinner R. Ashwin.

And the injury to veteran left-arm spinner Rangana Herath has made situation worse for the visitors. Though Herath took just one wicket (one for 81 in 39 overs) in the last game, only he was treated with some respect by Indian batsman. Chandimal hopes that his predecessor Angelo Mathews, who is woefully out of form, will rise to the occasion in this key game.

Home coming

Kohli should not be bothered by the talk of wicket here. Being a local boy, who started playing as a 13-year-old on the same ground, leading Team India once again in front of his home crowd would be yet another chance for him to showcase his masterclass.

Knowing well that the coming year 2018 — starting with three Tests against South Africa followed by the two more away series against England and Australia — could well be defining year for his captaincy, Kohli would be eager to carry forward the momentum.

He surely would have shared his experience of batting on this slow and low Kotla track with his teammates.

Kohli knows it well that batting on Kotla track would not be as easy as it was at Jamtha in Nagpur, where India scored a mammoth 610 for six declared.

The batsmen need to play with head down in order to score big at Kotla as the ball keeps low and slow. Delhi weather right now is certainly not a cause for worry and fog (also smog) has not been witnessed for last few days.

Rahane's form

Kohli would want Ajinkya Rahane to find his touch before the South African tour. The Mumbaikar has had an awful outing (4 & 2) so far in the series, but he has always proved to be an asset for his team while playing abroad.

In bowling department, Kohli has no such problem. Ishant Sharma with his five-wicket haul in Nagpur is certain to play on his home turf. Mohammed Shami is yet another certainty after he dropped out of Nagpur Test due to hip injury. He had a long bowling stint at the nets on Friday. His form and fitness will be vital if India have to do well against Proteas.