The Sri Lankan attack is not all about Ajantha Mendis. It will be foolish to focus only on the mystery spinner and ignore others, warned former India captain Rahul Dravid [Images].

• Images: Readying for the Test

Talking to reporters ahead of the first Test, which gets underway in Colombo on Wednesday, Dravid did not doubt the threat Mendis can pose to his teammates but said it would be a folly to underestimate old warhorses Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas [Images].

• Spin guru Jenner sees chink in Mendis's armour

"Sure, Mendis is going to be one of their four or five bowlers, but you cannot just focus on him," Dravid said.

"They have got a couple of other guys (Muralitharan and Vaas) who have got 1000 wickets between them," he said.

"It will be a mistake to focus just on Mendis. We will just play it as we see it. We have come against a lot of bowlers in our times and we have succeeded against them," said Dravid, oozing confidence that the visitors would read the freak spinner, who recently ran through India's ODI squad in the Asia Cup final.

According to Dravid, though the Lankan attack will miss Lasith Malinga [Images], Ferveez Maharoof and Dilhara Fernando owing to injuries, it's still a potent attack.

"They have got the right balance in these conditions. They are always a big threat at home. Muttiah Muralitharan is a big impact and Chaminda Vaas is a clever bowler in these conditions," Dravid said.

Sri Lanka [Images] also has a formidable batting line-up and that should make the series interesting, reckons Dravid.

"They have a good batting line-up that adapts well in these conditions. They can bat for long periods. But we have come here with a good team as well. If we play to our potential, I think it will be a good Test series," he said.

Sachin Tendulkar [Images], just 172 runs short of Brian Lara's [Images] world record of 11,953 Test runs, will remain the cynosure of all eyes in the series but Dravid insisted the team will maintain focus on winning the series.

"There has been no talk in the dressing-room of the record or anything like that. We are focused on winning the series and so is Sachin.

"I hope he achieves the landmark here. We are hoping it is in the first innings of the first Test on the first day itself, so we can have a big celebration," he said.

"It's obviously a great achievement for him and the team when he eventually gets there," he added.

Personally, Dravid is happy to come back to play his first Test here after seven years.

"We have not played Test here since 2001. It's nice to be back and I am looking forward to the Test series.

"I enjoy batting here. The wicket has something for the bowlers and stroke-players. If you are set, you can play your shots," he said.