The India versus Sri Lanka series will be a battle of the old war horses, the last remnants of an era that was classy and gritty.

India play the first of their three Test matches in the emerald islands in Colombo at the SSC, a ground that has threw up some horrors the last time round.

Way back in 2001-02 Sri Lanka scored a mammoth 610/6 declared at a venue that has traditionally held its own for spinners. The total also happened to be the Lankans' second highest ever against India.

Muttiah Muralitharan had wrecked the Indian batting in the Colombo Test with his eight for 87. The 2001-02 series was all about Murali as he ended with 23 wickets in the series.

In the 15 Test matches the wily off spinner has played against India, he has bagged 67 wickets at an average of 32.47, with his best coming in that nightmare in Colombo seven years back. Four five wicket hauls and one 10 wicket scalp make for pretty good reading too.

However, things have changed. And changed for the better for India. The team has been simply superb in Test macthes, winning in the toughest of conditions and more importantly abraod. India won in the West Indies, Pakistan, England, losing only in South Africa and Australia where the team went down 2-1 after a gritty fight throughout the Australian summer.

India's core batting group since 2001 has remained unchanged. If anything, it has only grown in strength with a terrific opening pair in Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir. Sachin Tendulkar, who missed the 2001 series due to an inkury is now back in the side and is eyeing Brian Lara's record of most Test runs.

In fact Tendulkar has the best record amongst bastmen from either sides in head to head clashes. With, 1313 runs from 16 Tests at an average of 69.10, the Little Master has clearly shown his liking for the Lankan attack.

Tendulkar also hold the record for the most tons by a batsman from either side with seven centuries.

Only Aravinda de Silva came any close to macthing Tendulkar's record. He had rattled off 1252 runs at an average of 41.73 in 19 Tests. But de Silva has long since hung up his boots.

Indian captain Anil Kumble has also played 15 Tests against the islanders and has snared 66 wickets at a better average of 28.92. His four five wicket hauls are impressively complemented by two 10 wicket scalps.

In fact Kumble was on fire in the last Test series between the two teams in 2005-06 played in India. Jumbo had mesmerised the Lankan batsmen with 20 wickets and spun his team to a 2-0 series victory.

Between the two teams, Sanath Jayasuriya has scored the most runs in the 1997 series, when he rattled up 571 runs at a staggering average of 190.33. In the three innings he batted in, the Matara Mauler blasted two centuries.

Amongst the current crop of batsmen, Ganguly features impressively with 392 runs at an average of 98.00. Out of the four innings, Ganguly scored two centuries and a 99.

So while Ajantha Mendis may have suddenly crept up as a huge threat, he would do well to remember that some of his more distinguished peers in the past have been rather savagely brutalised by an Indian batting line up that is considered the most dangerous in the world.