Sri Lanka succeed ‘self-challenge’ Test
“We had to work hard to win this Test because the track was good. It was not the one we normally get at Galle so the bowlers had to work really hard” -- skipper Karunaratne
Tailoring pitches to suit a host team’s strengths is not uncommon in international cricket. Many countries have done it and will continue to do so. It can be a successful strategy, particularly at home. But it comes at the risk of humiliation away from home.
What Sri Lanka did during the series against Ireland, particularly during the second Test, however, was different. After steamrolling the inexperienced Irish cricketers inside of three days in the first game, many expected the second Test to end in a similar fashion with the Irish finding the Sri Lankan spinners too hot to handle. What transpired was quite different.
Even though Sri Lankan bowlers picked up all Irish 20 wickets to sweep the series with yet another innings victory on Friday, it wasn’t an easy ride. The Irish produced their best performance with the bat, scoring 492 runs in the first innings. And they batted with resolute in the second innings to delay the inevitable, having resumed their second innings with a deficit of 212 runs.
“We requested a good wicket,” said chief selector Pramodya Wickremasinghe.
“We wanted to challenge the skills of the bowlers on a good track. If we are to win Test matches away from home, we need to get out of our comfort zone and challenge ourselves in tough conditions. This was what we did.”
The Irish batted for 145.3 overs in the first innings. Sri Lankan bowlers had to toil hard for their wickets, unlike in the first game where the pitch had enough turn and bounce as early as the second day. Exploiting the hapless bowling performances of the Irish, Sri Lanka amassed 704 for 3– a first innings lead of 212 and bowled them out for 202 on a fifth day wicket.
Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne, too, commended the wicket at the post match press conference.
“It was a good wicket,” echoed Karunaratne, the Sri Lanka skipper, on a purple patch with the bat.
“This is the kind of wicket that we need to have. We don’t want wickets that help only bowlers or batters, It has to be a good wicket where bowlers and batters both enjoy the conditions equally.”
Karunaratne said they had asked for bit of home advantage when playing top teams.
“We had to work hard to win this Test because the track was good. It was not the one we normally get at Galle so the bowlers had to work really hard. I see positives inside the team. From here, we must move forward and see how we can win a series overseas. That is where, as captain, I will be happy, not being the captain of the 100th Test win or winning by a big margin. As captain, how you handle your team and winning away series are my targets.”
Captaincy
This was supposed to be his last series as skipper but circumstances have now changed. Karunaratne, 35, may stay on for another World Test Championship cycle, leading the side in the longer format of the game. He is reconsidering his decision to step down following a request from the selectors.
“Within the next couple of weeks, I will have a discussion with the selectors and make a final call,” responded Karunaratne when asked about his future as Sri Lanka Test skipper, at the post match press conference on Friday.
“The discussion was to take place during the Ireland series but that didn’t happen.”
After Sri Lanka were whitewashed by New Zealand in the two-match Test series, Karunaratne said the Ireland series would be his last, as he is ready to hand the baton to the next in line. This was to help a smooth transition of the leadership role while the seniors were still around.
“My rationale was that we needed to groom someone while we (the seniors) are still around. We, (Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal and myself) are around the same age and we might retire around the same time, so it’s our responsibility to make the transition smooth. However, there’s a request from the selectors and I will take a final call after discussing,” he added.
Karunaratne was offered the job in 2019 when the national team was going through a turbulent period and he managed to bring in some stability. On his very first tour, he led a whitewash of South Africa 2-0 in South Africa, becoming the first team from the sub-continent to achieve the feat.
He has led the team from the front. His batting has improved and he has scored 2536 runs in 28 games at 51.75 Out of his 16 Test hundreds, eight were while leading the side. Karunaratne has also had a positive impact on his teammates. He created an environment for the cricketers to play with freedom. Out of the 28 games, he has led Sri Lanka to 12 wins and six draws, with 10 defeats.