Turn gives Sri Lanka hope

India are ahead in the Test match after day one with a promising lead after Shreyas Iyer’s 92 and the fast bowlers taking five wickets between them in a difficult pitch for batting in the second Test of the series in Bengaluru. With the pink ball and the conditions expected to make batting worse, India have odds of 1.00 to win the Test.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, look down and out at this stage with odds of 17.31 to win the Test, but the turn on offer in the wicket and the sluggish nature of the surface would encourage them. They will bank on their lower order on day two to get runs and push India then with their spin trio.

India have won two and lost one day-night Test

India have played three day-night Tests so far, winning two and losing the one in Adelaide in 2020. They won at home against Bangladesh and here against Sri Lanka their plans pretty much revolve around the robust bowling attack that was on top of their game on day one.

RECOMMENDED BET: India are ahead in the Test and have odds of 1.00 to win it with a 166-run lead at the end of day one.

Overall, Sri Lanka’s chances will hinge on how quickly they can bowl India out in the second innings. The highest total scaled in India is 376, but that’s the only total above 300 chased down. Since 2013, a total of above 160 even hasn’t been chased down in the fourth innings in India.

Keep an eye on… 

Axar Patel: With the surface prompting the ball to stay low and the pitch turning, Axar will be a key part of India’s plans with his stump to stump bowling. He could destroy Sri Lanka in the fourth innings.

Angelo Mathews: The all-rounder was the only Sri Lankan player to look reasonably comfortable against spin on day one and could be vital to their batting in this Test.

TIP: Rishabh Pant’s attacking ways will suit this surface as we saw in the first innings and he has odds of 8.90 to be India’s top batter in the second innings.