I would be very worried of Rishabh Pant, says Farveez Maharoof

Former Sri Lankan fast bowler Farveez Maharoof has identified Rishabh Pant as the biggest threat for Sri Lanka ahead of the first Test at Galle International Stadium scheduled from August 15-19. Maharoof's assessment comes despite Pant's modest returns in India's three-day warm-up match in Colombo, where he scored 2 runs in the first innings and 28 in the second innings during a successful chase of 207.

Maharoof believes those scores should not give Sri Lanka any confidence ahead of the Test, given Pant's proven ability to shift momentum rapidly in his favour. The former cricketer has highlighted the wicketkeeper-batter's unconventional approach and aggressive instincts as the primary concern for the hosts.

"If I were in the Sri Lankan dressing room, I would be very worried about Rishabh Pant. He is a player who, within half an hour or 45 minutes, can completely change the game. We have seen him do it in the past. He has that X-factor and has been given the licence to play his natural game. He is going to face a lot of left-arm spin and off-spin. Sri Lanka will surely go with two frontline spinners as well as two part-timers, but the way Pant scores runs, with his unorthodox style, he is going to be dangerous,” said Maharoof as quoted by Times of India.

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Maharoof also outlined India's expected spin-bowling combination for the Galle Test. He suggested that a spin trio of Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Manav Suthar could form the ideal spin-bowling combination for India at the venue. Maharoof expects India to go into the Test with a balanced attack comprising three spinners and two seamers.

Maharoof noted that Manav Suthar's capacity to extract bounce from the Galle surface could prove valuable for India's bowling attack. The former fast bowler would not be surprised if Suthar featured in the playing XI, given the conditions expected at the venue and the specific challenges posed by the pitch characteristics.

"If you ask me, I would be tempted to go with the two left-arm spinners as well as Kuldeep Yadav. Kuldeep is a front-runner to start in Galle, especially considering his record and the number of wickets he took in the last Test against Afghanistan,” said Maharoof.

"I see three spinners for India. Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and either Suthar or Jain. Ideally, you would like an off-spinner for variation, but I would not be surprised if Manav Suthar plays because his ability to get bounce off the surface could be very handy in Galle. Overall, looking at India's bowling line-up, it is quite competitive, with two seamers and three spinners,” he added.