Kanpur: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni backed his bowlers ahead of the second cricket test against Sri Lanka that starts here.

Kanpur: Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara has said that Dammika Prasad has been ruled out of the second Test against India and said mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis is very much in his scheme of things for the match.

The scene shifts to Kanpur after Ahmedabad saw seven centuries and 1598 runs ‘testing’ everyone’s patience. If you are looking forward to a match that shows a winning result, please start by looking first at MSN India’s preview!

Kanpur: With Gautam Gambhir evolving into a complete batsman, there is just no need to straitjacket Virender Sehwag's characteristic daredevilry, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said on Monday.

The BCCI does not bat for the longer version of the game. If the board would have even an iota of concern for Test cricket, it would not have so willingly allowed the pattern of drawn Tests that India has produced so often. The Ahmedabad Test was the eleventh drawn Test in India in a period of five years. Now, consider this: in a similar time-frame, Australian pitches have thrown up just two draws and South African ones have seen only three draws.

The first Test in Ahmedabad threw up a tame draw. The lifeless Motera wicket churned more runs than wickets and the result was yet another draw on the Indian soil. With the Kanpur pitch promising more purchase for the bowlers a result in the Kanpur Test in most likely. MSN India chalks out five strategies which Team India can use in the second Test.

Kanpur: Their batting inconsistency and bowling frailties laid bare in the hard-earned draw in Ahmedabad, India will go into the second Test against Sri Lanka on Tuesday hoping not to repeat the follies again.

Dinesh Karthik has been flown in as a last minute back-up for injured India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni ahead of the second cricket Test against Sri Lanka starting in Kanpur on Tuesday.