Spin Doctor! Team India Test captain Anil Kumble during a practice session at the SSC ground in Colombo on Tuesday, the eve of the first Test against Sri Lanka. (AP)

Colombo: Manmohan Singh and his allies found a way to win the trust vote on Tuesday evening. That too comfortably. By Wednesday morning, Anil Kumble and his men will have to fine-tune ways to handle spinners Muttiah Muralidharan and Ajantha Mendis.

One is a legend and a known commodity, the other may remain a mystery for longer than the batsmen would like. Neutralising them is an absolute must.

In Kumble’s view, the pressure will be on the 23-year-old Mendis, an armyman (promoted as Second-Lieutenant after a terrific Asia Cup) who’ll be making his Test debut.

It’s with this backdrop that the newest India-Sri Lanka series, a three-match affair for the Idea Cup, will begin at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC), one of the few grounds with a truly lovely cricket feel in the region.

With the umpire referral business going on trial from this series, the SSC is set to see history of a different kind.

Going by what captains Kumble and Mahela Jayawardene said, both teams have enormous respect for each other’s capabilities. But that doesn’t mean the series won’t be contested with, say, the fierceness of matches against Australia.

For Team India, it’s an opportunity to win back the No.2 ranking in Tests.

The Indians, incidentally, haven’t featured in a Test series in Lanka for seven years and, so, the connoisseurs around here have actually had a long wait. This surely is their last chance to see India’s Big Four in action — Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Kumble.

Of the quartet, a milestone beckons Sachin: 172 runs more and he’ll surpass Brian Lara as the highest run-getter in Tests. It’s not that runs/wickets won’t be special for the other three, all of whom too are past 35.

Of course, a Sourav would like you to believe that age is only an issue with cricket back home. Perhaps he’s right.

Traditionally, the Indians haven’t had a great Test record in Lanka (just two wins in 12 matches) and that’s something Kumble would like to set right. He himself wasn’t available for that 2001-02 series, which ended in a 1-2 defeat.

The task, though, will be anything but easy.

However, Lanka’s new-ball attack has been weakened by the continued absence of Lasith Malinga and the once-again-injured Dilhara Fernando.

It’s to be seen to what extent that’s made capital of.

Jayawardene, though, was quick to point out that his team took immense pride in defending a very fine record at home.

“We don’t want anyone else to come and beat us at home. That’s the attitude we go with... There is a lot of pride involved.”

With plenty at stake, pride is definitely a factor.

“Look, no one thing alone is going to make a difference... It will be a combination of factors, not only big runs on the board,” a typically cool Kumble told The Telegraph.

An injury made Kumble miss the last Test, versus South Africa, in Kanpur. He played in the IPL, but having retired from ODIs, is coming off a break. In his own words, he’s “absolutely raring to go.”

In what’s quite rare, owing to one reason or the other, as many as five Indians will be making a comeback — Gautam Gambhir (Virender Sehwag’s opening partner), Sachin, Dinesh Karthik, Zaheer Khan and the captain himself — in the Test XI.

Quick Ishant Sharma developed a dental problem, but manager T.C. Matthew confirmed that his availability wasn’t in doubt. “He’s fit for the Test.”

What’s also not in doubt is that the captain winning the toss won’t hesitate to bat. “It looks a good wicket,” Kumble maintained, his tone confirming it would be good not having to bat last.

TEAMS

India: Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, V.V.S. Laxman, Dinesh Karthik, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma.

Sri Lanka: Michael Vandort, Malinda Warnapura, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Tillekeratne Dilshan, Prasanna Jayawardene, Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralidharan, Nuwan Kulasekara/Thushara Mirando, Ajantha Mendis.

Umpires: Mark Benson, Billy Doctrove; TV: Rudi Koertzen.

Match Referee: Alan Hurst.

Match starts: 10.15 a.m.