Ahead of the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane spoke of the need for the hosts to concentrate on the battle at hand rather than the tour of South Africa which looms large on the horizon.

The right-handed batsman said that Dinesh Chandimal’s side pose a challenge of their own and could not be taken lightly despite India having blanked the islanders in all formats in their own backyard a few months earlier.

“Look, South Africa will be completely different. Right now, if we want to remain the No. 1 team, every series is really important. We want to win each and every match and each and every series. This series is equally important,” Rahane said at at press conference ahead of the first of the three-match Test series beginning on Thursday.

“Sri Lanka have been preparing really well, so we can’t take them lightly. We are just concentrating on this series,” he added.

“This series is completely different compared to how we played in Sri Lanka. We know the conditions here. We had a good series in Sri Lanka. For us every match and series is important before going to South Africa.

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“We are just focusing on this series right now, more specifically the first Test here in Kolkata. We just want to think about our game rather than thinking about their combination or their strengths.”

India has whitewashed Sri Lanka in all formats two months back.

The 29-year-old batsman also spoke of the need to evolve his game against the spinners and said that he had been working on his sweeps and reverse-sweeps at the nets.

“It’s important to improve your game day by day. When you’re practising in the nets, it is important to evolve and I am just practising. I just want to improve. I always think that if I improve one shot in the nets session, I’ll be better off during the game.  If the opportunity comes in the game, I am 100% confident of ‘playing a particular shot.

“I am just practising – reverse-sweep, sweep, paddle sweep. Just an option,” he said.

Virat Kohli’s men have been the top-ranked Test team for some time now with a formidable record at home while Sri Lanka are coming off the back of inflicting a first-ever Test series defeat on Pakistan in the UAE despite their limited-overs format struggles.

The Test series will be followed by three one-dayers and as many T20I’s before India depart for their tour of South Africa before the New Year.