Murali Vijay set for comeback

Colombo - Binny may replace Harbhajan; Sangakkara to play his final Test

A recovering Murali Vijay is likely to open the innings for India in the second Test against Sri Lanka beginning on Thursday as the beleaguered visitors chase a series-levelling victory.
India's second innings implosion while pursuing a moderate 176-run victory target in the first Test has put the hosts in lead in the three-match series.
Compounding the visitors' problems, opener Shikhar Dhawan - their top scorer at Galle - has been ruled out of the remainder of the series with a fractured hand.
India have flown in pace-bowling all-rounder Stuart Binny but Dhawan's absence is likely to force the team management to ask Vijay, nursing a hamstring injury which kept him out of the Galle Test, to partner Lokesh Rahul.
"Today's practice session is important, we would know if he is 100 per cent fit to play," India skipper Virat Kohli said. His rehab is going well... Hopefully he is fully fit. If he wants to play and is keen, I'm sure he can go through the little discomforts he might have," Kohli said.
"We will have to take a call but we are pretty certain he is going to make it tomorrow." The Indian skipper also threw his weight behind Binny whose inclusion might come at the expense of veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.
"We got Stuart here because his bowling gives us the balance and at number six his batting can be handy," Kohli, in his first full series as India captain, said of the 31-yer-old all-rounder. "You can keep him for later on in the innings to give you control or... if the wicket is helpful, with the new ball, why not?
"It's all about how you use him, as attacking option or as defensive option in the middle as it gives other bowlers rest. It really depends on how the wicket behaves but I'm sure he can do both jobs."
Kohli has struck centuries in each of the four Tests he has captained India but is yet to taste victory as skipper.
"It's never a nice feeling when you lose," Kohli, 26, said. "I would rather have the team win games, than to get frustrated that as a batsman I am getting runs but we are not getting the results."
Meanwhile, the rival captains said they were determined not to be swayed by the emotions surrounding Sangakkara's last match.
Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews, buoyant by a brilliant 63-run win in the first Test in Galle said the boys wanted to win the three-match series to give Sangakkara a suitable farewell.
"This is obviously an emotional game for all of us," Mathews said. "Sangakkara has not only been a great servant of the game, but he is a great human being too.
"We can't thank him enough for what he has done for Sri Lankan cricket and the team over the past so many years. We thank him truly and wish him all the very best for his future endeavours.
"It's going to be a tough game for him as well emotionally. But all good things have to come to an end unfortunately. The best thing we can do is try and win the series for him. We have trained hard and are ready to go."