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Sri Lanka's credibility as the number three Test playing nation will be under the scanner when they take on West Indies in a two-match series.
The team has been going through the horrors in recent times. The rot set in during the Test tour to Australia and the lean spell has continued in both forms of cricket.
Some bold moves by a new cricket setup may be just the tonic to revive Sri Lankan cricket. The selectors have shown farsightedness and faith and now it's up to the players to measure up to it.
The Lankans must not take the West Indies lightly on their home ground. Now with the charismatic Chris Gayle confirmed as the West Indies captain, there could be a few battles ahead.
They must not depend on the in-form Kumar Sangakkara or skipper Mahela Jayawardene to bail them out again.
The middle-order has to be sorted out first. Chamara Silva and Tilakaratne Dilshan have not lived up to their promise. This has put additional pressure on Sangakkara and Jayawardene, cramping their normal free flowing play.
The choice of Ranganath Herath is interesting. One of the rare breeds of modern left-arm bowlers who believe in flighting the ball, Herath could prove an useful foil for Muthiah Muralitharan.
The Lankans have taken a big gamble by dropping Muralitharan and Sanath Jayasuriya for the one-day series. Without one of the most feared one-day batsmen in history, the Lankans will have their task cut out.
Hopefully, the Lankans will plan a proper farewell for Jayasuriya. Such a great player does not deserve such a sad exit.
Gayle has brought optimism to West Indies cricket. Though the results do not reflect it, the West Indies gave a good account of themselves on their tour to South Africa.
The hunger for battle has been revived, albeit in a small way. The time has come once again to carry on the good work.
Other factors may also go in favour of the West Indies. The phenomenal success of the Stanford Twenty20 tournament has brought cricket back in focus in the Caribbean.
The crowds lapped up the shortest version of the game. Now they must go all out and support the national team like the days gone by.
The West Indians used to take great pride in their cricket. Decades of disappointment have left them totally disenchanted.
Gayle could be the catalyst in bringing back the fans. His refreshing approach to the game has won over many critics. He can now work on getting back the West Indian magic.
The selectors have also shown that they are willing to take a few risks. They have banked on a few new faces to help Gayle.
The return of Ramnaresh Sarwan has bolstered the batting considerably. With Marlon Samuels now playing the way he should, some of the younger players will have less pressure on them.
The inclusion of left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn is a bold move. Benn was one of the biggest successes of the Stanford Twenty20 and he could prove a valuable asset on the slow wickets.
It is hoped that this series will put West Indies back on the path to glory. A strong West Indies will make cricket much more exciting.
