MUMBAI, Dec 2: There is a perceived belief that Test cricket is under threat from the proliferation and corruption of the abridged version of the game. But the kind of approach and attitude adopted by teams like Sri Lanka and India in back-to-back series are equally culpable in the slow death of the traditional game. Surely, if Test cricket had its crusaders, it may well have been bracketed with the `endangered species'.

Two Tests in Colombo and two in India in the current series have contributed much to inflate batsmen's averages and egos but done precious little to boost the sagging image of Test cricket.

Rectangles, like the ones during Ajit Wadekar's era as a cricket manager, were too simplistic and short-sighted solutions in producing results. Spinners, who looked like monsters on these tracks prepared -- or, to be precise, under-prepared in the guise of home prerogative -- were completely exposed on overseas tours. The dichotomy reflected in the lop-sided win-loss record at home and away. Mercifully, Anshuman Gaekwad has enough erudition in him not to succumb to such myopic temptations.

In fact, the Indians have exercised their prerogative as hosts in opting for a track that is likely to offer plenty of juice to seamers in the third and final Test against Sri Lanka starting tomorrow at the Wankhede Stadium.

``The wicket looks hard and grassy and should provide bounce and seam movement,'' opined Indian skipper Sachin Tendulkar.

It's a positive step and in the right direction as the onus is on India to force a win. The Lankan team management is very clear in its thinking: With just two qualitative bowlers in Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan, they lack the self-belief to get 20 wickets to bowl the opposition out twice for a victory.

Cerebral captains don't wait for things to happen. They make it happen. A classic case in point is New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming -- still wet behind the ears as a captain -- who declared his team's first innings 149 behind Australia to breathe life into the rain-marred Hobart Test from meandering into an unexciting draw.

The onus will thus will be on India to surmount the Lankan negativity -- a game plan that aims at not losing than winning the match. It's bowlers who are normally match-winners and at present that is one area of concern for India.

Anil Kumble's lack of productivity has been an extended problem for the team management. A serious student of the game, Kumble has sought the visual inputs of TWI and the technical insight of Gaekwad to analyse his problems.

``We have viewed tapes of Anil's bowling against England in the 1994 series and analysed his run-up, the angle of his deliveries and the pre-delivery leap. The problems have been spotted and ironed out in work-outs at the nets. He looks different now. Unfortunately, he could not get a bowl at Nagpur,'' Gaekwad said in a chat with The Indian Express

.The focus, of course, will be on the seamers. The Indians have left out left-arm spinner Nilesh Kulkarni and Ajay Jadeja from the 14 named on the eve of the Test.

Though it looks a toss-up between Venkatesh Prasad and Debashis Mohanty for a place in the final eleven, it would be surprising if the former continues to hibernate in the reserves -- more so on a track which is ideal to help him regain his confidence while bowling in tandem with state-mate Javagal Srinath.

Srinath will be the key to India's fortunes in the Test. The Indian spearhead -- one short of completing 100 wickets in Tests -- showed his prowess on his comeback from the debilitating shoulder injury by taking seven wickets at Mohali -- a track, which Ranatunga felt, was less firmer than the one here at Wankhede.

The Indian seamers got a welcome pre-Test boost with Kapil Dev joining them at the nets to provide his invaluable advice. The Lankans have not shortlisted their options as they are bit worried about Muralitharan.``He (Murali) has a muscle strain on his side because of which he could not come down on his follow-through and therefore did not bowl as well as he could at Nagpur. But he looks much better now.''

Teams

India (from): Sachin Tendulkar (captain), Navjot Sidhu, Navjot Mongia, Rahul Dravid, Saurav Ganguly, Mohammed Azharuddin, Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath, Abey Kuruvilla, Rajesh Chauhan, Venkatesh Prasad and Debashis Mohanty.

Reserves: Ajay Jadeja and Nilesh Kulkarni. Coach: Anshuman Gaekwad.

Sri Lanka (from): Arjuna Ranatunga (captain), Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu, Roshan Mahanama, Aravinda de Silva, Hashan Tillekaratne, Lanka de Silva, Jayanta Silva, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chamida Vaas, Ravindra Pushpakumara, Sajeewa de Silva, Kumara Dharmasena, Russell Arnold, Mahela Jayawardene and Pramodaya Wickramasinghe. Coach: Duleep Mendis.

Umpires: Steve Bucknor (West Indies)and AV Jayaprakash (India)

Third umpire: Sameer Bandekar (India).

Match referee: Bob Simpson (Australia).