Kumar Sangakkara has urged his players to banish thoughts of their defeat in the Test series and concentrate on the two-match T20 series.

Sangakkara's side had arrived in India hoping to secure their first Test victory on Indian soil.

Instead, the visitors lost the three-Test series 2-0, a defeat which saw them slip from second to fourth in the International Cricket Council's Test rankings.

Sangakkara is now hoping to start afresh.

"We have to try and put the Test series behind us," he said.

"We have a lot of hard work to do all around to keep improving and we have a good opportunity in these two Twenty20 games.

"The motivation is always there, but we need to start from scratch," he said.

Having reached the final of the World Twenty20 in England in June this year where they eventually lost to Pakistan, Sri Lanka are considered a strong side in the shortest format of the game.

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Sri Lanka's squad for the 20-over version of the game is vastly different from the Test team with veteran Sanath Jayasuriya expected to open the innings alongside Tillakaratne Dilshan.

Chamara Kapugedera is also expected to return to the middle order which also comprises the likes of Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews and Sangakkara himself, all making for a strong batting order.

Sangakkara, who will take wicketkeeping duties to ensure a better balance in the team, has admitted he is concerned with the bowling.

"Our bowling lacked penetration in the Tests," he added.

"If you can't tie a batsman down for more than an over from one side, it becomes very difficult to exert continuous pressure," he said.

Off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has all but ruled himself out of the Twenty20 games due to a finger injury sustained during a warm-up football game in practice during the Test series.

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"Two ligaments are damaged in the finger and it will take a few days to recover," Muralitharan said.

"I don't think I will be fit for the Twenty20s," he said.

The availability of paceman Lasith Malinga should provide Sangakkara with some relief, while the uncapped Muthumudalige Pushpakumara along with Nuwan Kulasekara, Chanaka Welegedara and spinner Ajantha Mendis provides the skipper with enough options.

India, winners of the inaugural World Twenty20 in South Africa two years ago, have fared poorly in the shortest format of the game since then.

They lost both matches in a series away to New Zealand earlier this year and also failed to progress beyond the first round in the World Twenty20 in England.

India have three uncapped players in the side - off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and medium-pacers Ashok Dinda and Sudeep Tyagi - to complement pacemen Ashish Nehra, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth and Ishant Sharma.

Tickets for the match at the 45,000-capacity Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium were sold out within a couple of days of going on sale.

India have not lost an international at the VCA Stadium and tomorrow's game will be played on the same surface which saw India amass 349 in a one-day international against Australia in October this year.

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