Sri Lanka Can Draw the Third Test... With a Few Rule Tweaks

Here’s how Sri Lanka can avoid defeat against India in the third Test.

1st Test: Lost by 304 runs

2nd Test: Lost by an innings and 53 runs

But it’s still not over yet! There’s one more Test to go.

Sri Lanka have to go through more turmoil in the third Test against India, when it starts on 12 August in Kandy.

After heavy defeats in the first two Tests, Sri Lanka are staring at the inevitable – a 0-3 series loss at home.

It’s not like Sri Lanka didn’t know that this was going to happen, after all, they almost lost to Zimbabwe in a Test match just before this series.

At this point, the team management surely just has one thing to say, ‘This is rock bottom fellas, the only place to go from here is up’.

But, don’t worry Sri Lanka, we have got a special plan for you. There is actually a way you can avoid defeat!

Yes.

Really.

Not joking at all.

Wait.

Maybe a little.

But here goes.

Cemented Pitch

Ask for a pitch made of cement.

Why, you ask? On a cement pitch there won’t be much variation available to the bowlers and that’s the only way the Sri Lankan batsmen will be able to bat and bat and bat.

Bat out all the five days and Sri Lanka can draw the Test match.

The pacers can extract some amount of bounce from the pitch, but c’mon Sri Lanka, just keep cutting and pulling and you’ll be fine.

Tails on Both Sides of the Coin?

via GIPHY

But to bat out five days of the Test match, the home team will have to win the toss first, right? Okay, no problem.

Breathe Sri Lanka, breathe!

Just get a coin made with tails on both sides and hope for the Indian captain to stick to calling heads.

After all, Kohli has won both the tosses by calling heads this series.

Play 11 Batsmen

Nuwan Pradeep and Rangana Herath are not available for this Test due to injury. But Sri Lanka, stop worrying about their like-to-like replacements, because your focus should be on batting.

Play 11 batsmen for this match and you may get a better result. India have scored 600 in both the Tests, forget about bowling to them again.

Follow On Your First Innings Total

The basic aim is to bat out all five days with one innings, but incase you get all out in the first innings, don’t worry, just follow on your first innings total.

Keep batting, no matter what. Set a target for India after batting for two consecutive innings of the match.

Remember, bat and bat and bat.

Some Change of Rules

Usually the home team has an advantage in any series because of the nature of the pitches in a particular country. But the Lankans haven’t had any such advantage because the pitches in the island nation are too similar to the ones in India.

So, Sri Lanka, it’s time for you to take your advantage. Change the rules!

Say that each of the batsmen in the home team should be able to ask for a review and most importantly, make the MCC rule on sending off players for seriously bad behaviour effective from the third Test.

Well, if that rule is there, then who’s going to stop this guy?

Drop Everything and Pray For Rain

If all the wonderful ideas written above are too far fetched then there’s only one thing you can do.

Drop your cricket equipments and start praying for rain. If it rains for two days of the Test match, you might just be able to avoid another heavy defeat.

Think about it.

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