India vs Sri Lanka Time and Live Score: 1st Test 2010

The three-match test series between India and Sri Lanka is going to kick off on 18 July when the first test starts at the Galle International Stadium in Sri Lanka. Though the focus is largely on the farewell of Muttiah Muralitharan who would retire from test cricket after this match, both sides would look to have a winning start in the series.

Time

The match begins at 04:30 GMT and 10:00 local time. Cricket fans in India can watch the match live on Ten Sports TV Channel from 10:00. In the US, the match starts in New York time at 00:30 AM and in California time at 21:30 (17 July).

Live Score

To get the live score of the match, visit the following link:

http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/scores/live.html

Muttiah Muralitharan, who is the leading wicket taker of both test and ODI cricket, has already announced that he would never play test cricket after this match. Moreover, he needs just 8 more wickets to become the first bowler to take 800 test wickets. Naturally, Sri Lankan fans are now emotional and Sri Lanka cricket board has arranged a grand farewell for the legendary off-spinner.

However, Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara has warned his players to keep the focus on the game. It is true that Indian bowling attack is pretty much weak in the absence of two injured front line pacers Zaheer Khan and Sreesanth, but India has a fearsome batting line up featuring the batsmen like Tendulkar, Dravid, Laxman, Sehwag, Gambhir and Dhoni. Yuvraj Singh would fill up the no. 6 slot in the batting order.

Off spinner Harbhajan Singh, who has just returned in action after recovering from fever, would have to lead Indian bowling attack. Ojha is most likely to be the second spinner, while either Abhimanyu Mithun or Munaf Patel would be Ishant Sharma’s new ball partner.

Sri Lanka has a very good bowling line up. Pacer Lasith Malinga returns to test cricket after 2 and half years, and either Chanaka Welegedara or Dammika Prasad would share the new ball with Malinga. Angelo Matthews provides the third option in their pace attack. Muralitharan along with left arm spinner Rangana Herath would form Sri Lanka’s spin attack.

Alike the Indian’s, Sri Lankan batting line up also features quality batsmen like Tharanga, Dilshan, Jayawardene, Sangakkara, Samaraweera, Mathews and Prasanna Jayawardene.