England will be out to win a fourth straight Test for the first time since July 2013.

They have not won back-to-back Tests away from home since December 2012, against India.

Regulation length delivery, and Rory Burns plonks it safely into the leg side.

Keaton Jennings and Rory Burns are out in the middle. I'm still half-expecting Alastair Cook to walk out instead.

Stand-in skipper Suranga Lakmal will open the bowling for Sri Lanka.

Right. Shall we have some cricket?

Given all the talk about this pitch I'll be disappointed if the first delivery doesn't spin miles.

More from Joe Root on Jonny Bairstow: “Jonny was available for selection. Trevor [Bayliss] and I have spoken to him about finding the right balance for this Test with the conditions we are expecting.

"He understands the situation and is aware that we have to pick the side that are best suited to conditions we can expect in Kandy.

"It is unfortunate that he missed out through injury in the first Test. He is a integral part of our plans and is a key member of our core squad and his experience around the group is important.”

Image source, Getty Images

Speaking of Jonny Bairstow...

Adam Mountford
Radio 5 live in Pallekele

Jonny Bairstow is again refereeing rather than playing in the pre-match game of football.

He’s said he won’t play football in practice again following the ankle injury which has cost him his place in the side.

England captain Joe Root, speaking on Tuesday about Ben Stokes: “Ben’s game is in good shape and he is more than capable of batting at three. We are in a fortunate position that many in the side could bat in that position.

"Ben’s technique is sound and he will be able to adapt to this role. He is one of the fittest guys in the side, so the intensity of batting in the top order and bowling as one of our three seamers,will not faze him.

“If we feel that he has done a tremendous workload with the ball, then we can adapt and alter the order if it’s necessary, but I don’t expect that to happen. Ben is relishing the added responsibility of doing a job at three.”

Image source, Getty Images

Just so we're clear, sending in dog photos is an excellent way to get yourself on the BBC Sport website when I'm in the chair.

Russell D Russell: Just told the pack, that the cricket is about to start. Happy Days!

Image source, Russell D Russell

Andy Zaltzman
The Cricket Social statistician

Of the 49 grounds to have hosted three or more Tests this decade, Pallekelle has the sixth highest collective batting average in the second innings of matches.

It has also been the most productive ground in Sri Lanka this decade for visiting pace bowlers, who average 26.9 with a wicket every 53 balls.

One thing England should be aware of is the danger of bowling Sri Lanka out in 34.2 overs on the first day.

Australia made this fatal error in 2016, only for Kusal Mendis - the brilliant if inconsistent young batsman - to play one of the finest innings of the century so far, making 176 in a match in which no-one else reached 60. Sri Lanka eventually won by 106 runs.

You can read more from stats guru Andy Zaltzman over here.

Image source, AFP

England: Burns, Jennings, Stokes, Root, Buttler, Moeen, Foakes, S Curran, Rashid, Leach, Anderson.

Sri Lanka: Karunaratne, K Silva, D de Silva, K Mendis, Mathews, R Silva, Dickwella, D Perera, A Dananjaya, Lakmal, Pushpakumara.

Adam Mountford
Radio 5 live in Pallekele

Good morning from the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.

It’s a beautiful day here with temperatures expected to reach 27 degrees later today.

The forecast is good with just a small chance of a thunderstorm this afternoon.

We’ve been hearing there has been a lot of rain in these parts over the past two weeks, but we’ve not seen a drop since arriving here on Sunday.

Locals are saying we may get some precipitation from Friday onwards, but then every day in Galle we were told it was going to hose down and we didn’t miss a ball.

England captain Joe Root: "It's nice to get the opportunity to bat first. Let's see how it plays and, like in Galle, it will be an interesting first hour."

On decision to leave out Jonny Bairstow and move Ben Stokes to number three: "For Jonny to get himself into a position to be selected for this game is a testament to him and the medical staff. Ben's game has become more and more adaptable in the last year. I think he's capable of doing it in all surfaces and in all conditions. Hopefully it's a long-term thing."

Joe Root said yesterday he was surprised with how dry the pitch was. Basically, England are expecting it to turn, so winning the toss is a good start...

Toss time!

Up goes the coin, Joe Root yells tails... and he's called correctly! That's the seventh consecutive toss he's won. Wonder if he trains for it? Anyway, England will have a bat first.

Weather watchpublished at 03:59 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November 2018

03:59 GMT 14 November 2018

Looks promising...

Jonathan Agnew
BBC cricket correspondent in Galle

At first glance, the attacking Stokes might not appear a natural three. But his defence is solid as a rock and he demonstrated in Galle that he defends spinners well.

Whether this turns out to be the long-term solution that England seek remains to be seen but here, with so many bowling options needed, it makes sense.

Bairstow will be disappointed, not least because the footballing injury has now cost him his place, but he will return - although possibly not behind the stumps, where Foakes is considered the first choice.

Putting my cards out early, here, but I like Ben Stokes at three - and I think it's fairer on Moeen, who will be expected to bowl a whole lot of overs.

Thoughts? Tweet us using #bbccricket, text 81111 or email tms@bbc.co.uk.

So...

Ben Stokes will bat at three, replacing Moeen Ali, who will most likely bat at six.

Ben Foakes will keep the gloves and will, presumably, bat at seven.

And, with Stokes up the order and Moeen at six, that could mean a promotion for Jos Buttler at five.

Image source, Getty Images