Travis Head - Prabath Jayasuriya key battle

23 January 2025 12:51 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 2 Bookmark

A A A

Sri Lanka will host Australia in a two-match Test series which gets underway next week at Galle. Sri Lankan fans have traditionally loved playing against the Aussies who have always been one of the best teams in the world although results have often favoured the visiting team.

One of Sri Lanka's best performance was recorded in 2016 when they whitewashed the Aussies led by Steven Smith who will be captaining them in the absence of Pat Cummins - the regular first team captain.

Sri Lanka having bowled out for 117 in the first innings of the first Test in 2016 went on to record a memorable victory on the back of a sensational knock by Kusal Mendis (176).

While Mendis and present captain Dhananjaya de Silva led the way with the bat in 2016, it was Sri Lanka's most successful left arm spinner Rangana Herath who did the damage with the ball - his role will now be played by Prabath Jayasuriya who has had a magnificent start to his Test career in 2022 bagging 12 wickets on debut against the same opponent.

Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne are considered as backbone of Aussie batting line-up, but over the last year or two Travis Head turned out to be their match winner especially in tough conditions. His batting particularly against the strong Indian team was very impressive as he always looks to take the game away from the opponents with aggressive batting.

Jayasuriya had the better of Head the last time they met, but the left arm spinner will be bowling to a totally different animal when they meet next week in Galle.

The fact that Head is a left-handed batsman should make things fairly easier to him and with Dilruwan Perera retired and Ramesh Mendis clearly out of the picture, Sri Lanka might have to worry about their off-spin bowling options.

Comments - 2

Man Thursday, 23 January 2025 03:29 PM

SLC is the only board wanted to have 4 day tests to play additional limited overs cricket matches to earn more money for their well being. Luckily, ICC rejected. SLC should start 3 test series as before that pandemic if they have a desire to develop proper cricket as England do and offered a 3 test series to us. That final test paved the way to a SL victory. Dimuth failed. Mathews played a reckless stroke across the line of the ball which was on the stumps against SA, last time. What about T20 Nissanka? In SA, Nissanka had seven innings as he had three lives and he was dropped on 22 when he scored 89. Lahiru Udara, Oshada Fernando, Pavan Rathnayake and Sonal Dinusha are better players as batsmen to consider for the tests after considering their recent performances to replace those out of form players. Because, SL victory matters than individual record of 100 tests of Dimuth though he was the best opener in the world. SLC is responsible for preventing that record by not playing 3 test

0 17

DOT Thursday, 23 January 2025 08:59 PM

It will be tough with Marnus Labuschange. Going to be a good contest!

0 2

222

Add comment
Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.