Optimistic Kumble hints at unchanged line-up for second Test

Galle, Jul 30 (UNI) Despite the severe mauling in the first Test at the hands of Sri Lanka, India is almost certain to retain the same squad that took the field at Colombo, for the second Test of the series which starts here tomorrow.

''There will be more or less the same combination of the Indian team for tomorrow's match,'' Kumble told mediapersons here today.

India lost the first Test by a whopping margin of an innings and 239 runs - their biggest loss since 1974.

The much fancied Indian batting line-up were simply blown away as spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan went on a rampage, claiming 11 wickets.

Kumble, although describing the loss as a collective debacle, admitted that Dinesh Karthik's failure was the most worrying aspect of the loss.

''Karthik's performance was a matter of concern, but we are not pin-pointing the performance of any one person. The Indian team as a whole failed to perform well in the last Test,'' he said.

''We will try to come up with a better performance.'' UNI XC AB RAR UCS1854