India, Aug. 14 -- The India-Sri Lanka two-Test rubber kicks off on Saturday in Galle, and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah's absence due to a knee injury will be felt deeply. It's not that India have not done well before without Bumrah. Two series particularly come to mind. In the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he was ruled out of the final Test, but Mohammed Siraj and Co. put up a spirited show in Brisbane to win the fourth Test and the series 2-1. Then last year in England, in the fifth Test, Siraj and Prasidh Krishna inspired India to a thrilling win to help draw the series 2-2 at the Oval.

But those were pacer-friendly wickets in many ways. In Sri Lanka, the wickets are likely to support spinners. And if on such pitches a team has a bowle...