In sport, you live in the moment. This ball. This over. This session. Even 'this day' is said only occasionally. This India-Sri Lanka series though was different. fun88 Betting Tips Free From the time it started, it was all about how best you could prepare for South Africa given that the opposition is Sri Lanka in India.

​Hence, the request for grass, for tracks that would help pace and the complete absence of even a remotely conducive pitch for spinners. India were willing to forego their biggest strength in order to prepare for conditions they were likely to encounter elsewhere. fun88 Betting Tips Free I am not sure they would have done that if the opposition was more worrisome but given that they were able to, it would be interesting to see if the simulation was any good.

In Kolkata, where the ball was really seaming and bouncing around, India were 30-4 against Lakmal and Gamage, not the most threatening pace bowling combo going around. Cricket Betting Tips Free I think India realised there that, for all the advantages of going in with 5 bowlers, there was need for more batting support in conditions like those. Hence the need for game time to Rohit Sharma. As far as I can see, that first innings in Kolkata has settled the 5 batsmen/5 bowlers vs 6 batsmen/4 bowlers issue. India will play 6 batsmen in the first Test at Cape Town.

Luckily for India, Rohit Sharma made a century and two fifties and while that may not be an indicator of what he could do in South Africa, fun88 Betting Tips it will give him the confidence he needs in Test cricket.

Elsewhere, everyone but Rahane made runs. And even though it will be hard on KL Rahul, and he is going to be a very fine player, fun88 Tips India seem to have settled on Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan as the openers.

India tried to get out of their comfort zone of winning with Ashwin and Jadeja and it was only marginally successful. Match Betting Tips India's quicks look good, bowled with some pace, have enough weapons to trouble the opposition on bouncy tracks, but didn't take enough wickets in the middle of a good spell. That is a matter of concern because when you look good, you must be effective too.

Within that reality, I was happy to see Ishant Sharma charge in and bowl long spells and virtually drag back the 3rd fast bowler's spot towards himself. The mercurial Shami will probably get the first spot but he was unwell again and missed a game. India fun88 Betting Tips It is a concern. And Bhuvneshwar Kumar will probably be the second seamer and the stubborn lower order batsman India will need.

In Kolkata, the seamers took all the wickets and they will have to show the same belief in South Africa where the spinner, whether Ashwin or Jadeja, will play a holding role most days. On better batting days though, they didn't take as many wickets as the captain would have liked and that is why South Africa will be a test. India Team Best fun88 Tips A test to see if the pace bowlers want to be touched by greatness.

So India got game time in Test cricket, some players have runs and wickets behind them but apart from a phase in Kolkata, the series wasn't much good as simulation for South Africa.