SL vs PAK: Sri Lanka might not want to prepare turning pitches against Pakistan, says Shaun Tait
India Today
Pakistan and Sri Lanka are set to lock horns in a two-match Test series, which is set to get underway in less than a fortnight's time.
Pakistan fast bowling coach Shaun Tait said that Sri Lanka might not prepare rank-turners in their upcoming Test series. The two-match series is set to get underway on Saturday, July 16 with the first game at the Galle International Stadium.
The R. Premadasa Stadium will host the second game, scheduled to start on Sunday, June 24. Tait reckoned that the tactic to prepare turning tracks had backfired on Sri Lanka in their ongoing Test series against Australia. Nathan Lyon picked up nine wickets, helping the Aussies win the opening Test.
"There are talks around spin, obviously, for obvious reasons. But I think, you know, you [Pakistan] might be the team that changes that for sure. I mean maybe Sri Lanka doesn't want to create big spinning wickets against Pakistan. It's sort of what they did against Australia, and Australia bowled really well.
“So you've got to be a little bit careful with opposition coming with good spinners and creating turning tracks that can also favour the opposition,” Tait was quoted as saying in ESPNcricinfo.
Tait, one of the fastest bowlers during his heydays, also sounded pretty confident about Pakistan’s fast bowling unit going into the red-ball series.
"I'm looking at a fast-bowling group, we're just going to come in positive and maybe we're going to bowl some more overs. We're going to change a few things and change a few people's minds and bowl really well there and take some wickets as well. That's all in my mind at the moment. The boys are pretty confident about where they're at with the bowling,” Tait added.
Sri Lanka are now scheduled to lock horns with the Aussies in the second Test which is set to start on Thursday, July 7.
