Sri Lanka spinners have a big role to play in the upcoming Test series against India, but it’s probably not as much of the ball’s rotation as bowler’s rotation. Rather, the actual challenge will be, finding the correct mix of pace, flight and length. In Sri Lanka, the conditions have always favoured bowlers who know how to harness the conditions not just turn balls out for the glamorous turn, so it is always an interesting match for the Indian spin brigade. The favourites are back at the opposition with Ravichandran Ashwin out and may be able to raise some questions in their spin cocktail and hence will need to adjust in real fast time. Recent statistics on Sri Lanka Test cricket shows that slower spin has proved to be more effective as bowlers have been able to get overspin, bounce and close catchers in the possession instead of just providing sharp sideways movement.

Sri Lanka’s Test pitches should be lauded for more doing than they receive the credit. The island can produce spinners to assist both bat and movements, but for every abnormality, there’s this rain as well. But matches are far from easy contests with unfarmable pitches. Just two of 46 Test matches which had been played in Sri Lanka since 2014 had been drawn, showing how frequently matches have been played under such conditions. The key takeaway is that the advantage that spin generally holds up hasn’t overwhelmed the shortness of fast bowlers. It doesn’t mean that the captain can’t spin rands into the game, it simply means that, “the surface” must be continually monitored and tactical adjustments made.

One of the first things that differ about Sri Lanka and India is the speed at which spin is spun. The need to respect the length, being shorter in India, gives the spinners the scope to spin a bit faster into the attacking batsmen, ready to turn around the four to six metre area. There is an alternative way which Sri Lanka can be rewarded. Releasing the ball into the “overspin” allows the ball to bounce around the bat, giving a fielder more opportunities. The ball doesn’t have to deviate dramatically from the batter, sometimes, a bit of deviation accompanied by extra bounce will do the trick.

This is where the spin trick kicks in into my fascination with art. If a bowler bowls too fast, the piece of land could not have as much time to affect the ball and if the bowler bowls too slowly the batter could have a lot of time to attack. Finding the sweet spot is thus tricky. The average speed for spinners in Sri Lanka was recently estimated to be around 83 kph while India sights around 89 kph in same period in history. The difference in reality may be negligible on the score sheet, but over hundreds of balls that can make all the difference to a Test innings’ tempo altogether.

It’s just as crucial as length. The conventional 4-5 metres length for a spinner does not get lost in Sri Lanka, however, the acceptable length may be slightly larger. You can make most batters look like they have to break a sweat when they can squeeze a ball over 3-5 metres as the fielders are cluttered and close. Just like an innocent-looking ball shot at a camera can become a distraction, if repeated indefinitely. Hence, patience is still among the crucial weapons a spinner might have in Sri Lankan pace bowling.

It’ll be up to India to quickly make that switch. In Sri Lanka, Ravindra Jadeja has plenty of experience of playing Test cricket, but out of Sri Lanka, he might have to think differently. His natural accuracy and capability to bowl fast and in volume makes him crucial in India’s form-earning plans, but at the same time, the question shall be which one will he select? PazIntoAttack with pace or deliberately throttle the pace? The 37-year-old Jadeja’s part, too, isn’t the same as it was in the prime of his career and tactical decision-making will make a huge difference at the age of 37.

Suddenly if the Indian selectors choose to include Kuldeep Yadav they could give India a totally new dimension. His wrist spin enables him to impart variations on the trajectory and also the advent of turn that a normal lefty may not be able to. He has also great performance in Tests, and according to statistics, he ranks among the best career strike rate bowlers as well. But, it is choice that is vital. When he gets the chance, it shall be a challenge to know when to strike the stumps and when to call the drive in and when to also, upon the fly, get the nearest catchers to come in the play.

Prabath Jayasuriya is at the heart of Sri Lanka’s situation. His name is synonymous with that of a left-arm spinner who is known for his control, accuracy and the capability of being able to bowl long spells. Sri Lanka have others besides him in their spin arsenal either, but Jayasuriya will presumably be expected to create pressure from 1 end while the others hit the ball. That is particularly crucial, as Sri Lanka will need to give the Indians no ground to settle. Once a batter is used to bowling against spin in such circumstances, the moves he needs to make can turn upside down in minutes.

Finally, the most important lesson to be learned from Sri Lankan circumstances is that ‘slow is not always good. The bowler must have the right length and still have enough to achieve the proper number of revolutions and plan for every batter. India might have the better image, but there is little of that that now bowls deliveries! It’s not impossible that Jadeja, Kuldeep and India’s other spin alternatives should be able to get the pace and length just right, the favourites tag could definitely look justified. Sri Lanka’s bowlers might find the opportunity to dominate the situation if they don’t find a way to take advantage of it.

So the forthcoming Test series must be followed as much as for the match of the adjustments as for the match of the wickets. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the surface will not deliver turn from the first day but it will not be dramatic. In Sri Lanka this “trick” player can often get the better of the hitter by giving him the impression that the ball is easier to hit than it is. Control of both pace and length may be the deciding factor for India in India Sri Lanka and keeping Sri Lanka away from the contest.

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