Kohli says India ready to negate Herath threat at Galle

Cricket - Sri Lanka v India - India's Team Practice Session - Galle, Sri Lanka - July 25, 2017 - India's captain Virat Kohli walks past the team coach Ravi Shastri ahead of their first test match. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

GALLE, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - Indian batsmen have done their homework and will not allow Sri Lanka's Rangana Herath to wreck them again at Galle, captain Virat Kohli said on the eve of the first test between the neighbours on Tuesday.

The burly left-arm spinner claimed seven wickets in the fourth innings to derail India's 176-run chase in the last test they played at Galle in 2015.

India went on to win the next two matches to clinch the series 2-1 and Kohli said his team have learnt their lesson from that series.

Sri Lanka v India - Sri Lanka Team Practice Session - Galle, Sri Lanka - July 25, 2017 - Sri Lanka's former captain Angelo Mathews looks on as newly appointed Test cricket captain Rangana Herath walks ahead of their first test match. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

"He's a quality bowler. Last time he really dented us in that small chase," Kohli said of Herath, who will lead Sri Lanka in the series opener in absence of ailing regular skipper Dinesh Chandimal.

"It was actually a great eye-opener for us. We worked on those things in the next two games and were able to win the series. He played both the games and the ball was still doing a bit but our batsmen had counter-plans in place."

Herath managed eight wickets in the remaining four innings as the Indians appeared to have found a way to deal with Sri Lanka's spin spearhead.

Cricket - Sri Lanka v India - Sri Lanka Team Practice Session - Galle, Sri Lanka - July 25, 2017 - Sri Lanka's Test cricket captain Rangana Herath and former captain Angelo Mathews inspect the pitch ahead of their first test match. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

"We understand what he brings to the table and we understand what needs to be done," Kohli said.

"I'm sure everyone is taking personal responsibility to plan their innings... We've come a long way from that tour. We believe our batsmen will deliver the goods when it's required."

While Sri Lanka will miss Chandimal, who is recovering from pneumonia, India will be without regular opener Lokesh Rahul, who is down with high fever.

Cricket - Sri Lanka v India - India's Team Practice Session - Galle, Sri Lanka - July 25, 2017 - India's captain Virat Kohli gestures ahead of their first test match. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

Kohli ruled out any experiment and suggested Abhinav Mukund will join Shikhar Dhawan at the top of the innings and said all-rounder Hardik Pandya could make his test debut in the first match of the three-test series.

"We got great balance in the side. We got a guy like Hardik Pandya who is a wicket-taking bowler. Every game he plays, on any surface, he has a knack of picking up wickets. He has a great chance of playing."

Counterpart Herath was worried how his young team would fare against the mighty Indians who have been beaten only once since the 2015 Galle test.

Cricket - Sri Lanka v India - India's Team Practice Session - Galle, Sri Lanka - July 25, 2017 - India's captain Virat Kohli inspects the pitch ahead of their first test match. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

"They are the number one team at the moment and are playing very good cricket," said the 39-year-old.

"This is an interesting and challenging series. We need to do something special."

Cricket - Sri Lanka v India - India Team's Practice Session - Galle, Sri Lanka - July 25, 2017 - India's cricketer Ajinkya Rahane inspects his bat as he arrives ahead of their first test match. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi, editing by Pritha Sarkar)

Cricket - Sri Lanka v India - India's Team Practice Session - Galle, Sri Lanka - July 25, 2017 - India's cricketer Ajinkya Rahane gestures as he walks off the ground ahead of their first test match. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

Cricket - Sri Lanka v India - India's Team Practice Session - Galle, Sri Lanka - July 25, 2017 - India's cricketer Abhinav Mukund plays a shot ahead of their first test match. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

Cricket - Sri Lanka v India - India's Team Practice Session - Galle, Sri Lanka - July 24, 2017 - India's cricket captain Virat Kohli talks to his team next to coach Ravi Shastri ahead of their first test match. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

Cricket - Sri Lanka v India - Sri Lanka Team Practice Session - Galle, Sri Lanka - July 25, 2017 - Sri Lanka's Test cricket team members share a moment ahead of their first test match. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

Cricket - Sri Lanka v India - India's Team Practice Session - Galle, Sri Lanka - July 25, 2017 - India's cricketer Rohit Sharma is advised by team's coach Ravi Shastri ahead of their first test match. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

Cricket - Sri Lanka v India - India's Team Practice Session - Galle, Sri Lanka - July 25, 2017 - India's captain Virat Kohli arrives at the match venue ahead of their first test match. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

Cricket - Sri Lanka v India - India's Team Practice Session - Galle, Sri Lanka - July 25, 2017 - India's cricketer Abhinav Mukund is seen ahead of their first test match. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte