Jayasuriya blames irresponsible batting for crushing defeat in Galle

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya

Sri Lanka’s head coach, Sanath Jayasuriya, has laid the blame for his team’s heavy defeat at the feet of the batsmen, calling their performance in Galle “irresponsible” following a crushing loss to Australia by an innings and 242 runs.

Speaking at a press conference after the match, Jayasuriya expressed disappointment with the batting display and emphasised the need for greater mental resilience from the players.
“This wicket was not that difficult. The players need to learn how to handle pressure and bat with confidence. Test cricket is unique, with varied situations, and it’s crucial to manage these moments effectively. We have a strong batting line-up, but we didn’t perform well today. The batsmen need to convert their starts into big innings,” Jayasuriya said.

Sri Lanka endured their heaviest defeat in Test cricket history on Saturday, as Australia dominated to claim a commanding victory by an innings and 242 runs, taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

The match was wrapped up before tea on day four, with Australia’s rookie left-arm spinner, Matthew Kuhnemann, delivering a match-winning spell and career-best figures of 9/149 across both innings.

“We were put under pressure. The batters should have put up a better show,” Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva said after the loss. 

Kuhnemann, who had undergone surgery on a broken right thumb just two weeks earlier during the Big Bash League, battled through the match in pain and required constant medical attention. He was well supported by Nathan Lyon, who claimed seven wickets in the match and continued his dominance over Sri Lanka’s batters.

Before Saturday, Sri Lanka’s heaviest defeat came in 2017 against India in Nagpur, when they were beaten by an innings and 239 runs.

Resuming on 136/5, Sri Lanka’s first innings quickly folded for 165, losing their final five wickets for just nine runs. Forced to bat again, chasing 489, the hosts lost three quick wickets before lunch and collapsed in the second session, ending the match in humiliating fashion. Once renowned for their ability to handle turning tracks, Sri Lanka’s performance was well below expectations.

Dinesh Chandimal was the lone bright spot for Sri Lanka, top-scoring with 72 in the first innings and adding 50-plus with Angelo Mathews in the second. However, his efforts were in vain as he was dismissed for 31 on the last ball before lunch, caught off Lyon.

Oshada Fernando, making his return to the side, failed to make an impact, trapped lbw by Mitchell Starc for six after contributing only seven in the first innings. Former captain Dimuth Karunaratne’s horror run with the bat continued as he was dismissed for a duck, playing an avoidable shot off Todd Murphy.

Rain forced an early lunch on day three before washing out the final two sessions.

Australia declared on 654/6 late on the second day after opener Usman Khawaja’s career-best 232.

Galle will host the second and final match of the series next week before a two-match ODI series in Colombo.