India eye top spot

Having achieved their best-ever one-day ranking by displacing world champions Australia as the number two team, a confident India would be eyeing a series whitewash when they take on Sri Lanka in the fifth and final one-dayer here today.It has already turned out to be a dream series for Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who made it to the record books by becoming the first Indian captain to win nine ODIs on the trot and the flamboyant wicketkeeper-batsman would like to keep the winning momentum going in the last game.
The other thing which will be on Dhoni's mind when he takes the field is that every win from here on will bring his side one step closer to the world number one position, which is being currently occupied by South Africa (with 125 points) with a lead of just three points.
And coach Gary Kirsten had no hesitation in admitting that his main aim this year is to take India to the top position.
"Getting to number one is the obvious goal this year, but you just can't think you have won the series 4-0 and be complacent in the next game.
"It doesn't happen with us. When you go onto the field you go to win and not just compete. Great teams are those that carry the momentum forward into every game," Kirsten said.
The Indians have been phenomenal in all departments of the game in the series as compared to the hosts who were rather disappointing.
It's been a demoralising series for Sri Lanka, but they need to pick themselves up for today's game to avoid their first-ever whitewash in a five-match contest. Captain Mahela Jayawardene hasn't been able to do much to arrest the slide. He tinkered with the bowling combination in the previous two games but Sri Lanka still leaked in excess of 300 in both matches. His hands have been tied as far as the batting line-up is concerned -- the four senior batsmen and the promising Thilina Kandamby being undroppable, leaving little room for personnel changes.
Winning the toss could be one way he can help -- the spinners have had plenty of assistance when they bowl second at the Premadasa but Muttiah Muralidaran and Ajantha Mendis haven't had the chance to bowl under lights.
Sanath Jayasuriya has enjoyed some success against India at the Premadasa Stadium, and the fact that he has only scored 44 from three innings after his century in the first game suggests he is due for some runs. If he survives the early overs, the Indian bowlers could be in for a tough time. With the series out of control and pride on the line, don't be put it beyond the 39-year-old to provide some fireworks on Sunday.
Gautam Gambhir shrugged off an indifferent series with a career-best 150 in the last game. Gambhir's strategy of walking down the track before the delivery may have a bit of risk in it, but it clearly speaks of his self-assurance and purpose of throwing the bowler off key. Virender Sehwag's early departure forced Gambhir to steady himself and set a platform, and together with Dhoni he flourished. Dhoni always speaks of getting good starts, so it would fall on Gambhir to bat responsibly.
India are probably going to rest Yuvraj Singh and Praveen Kumar and bring in Sachin Tendulkar and Lakshmipathy Balaji. Tendulkar received three dubious decisions before being rested for the fourth ODI, and he will be itching to get in an innings of substance before India head off on a gruelling tour of New Zealand.
TEAMS
INDIA (likely): Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Ishant Sharma.
SRI LANKA (probable): Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Thilina Kandamby, Angelo Mathews, Farveez Maharoof, Nuwan Kulasekara, Muttiah Muralidaran, Ajantha Mendis.