Sri Lanka Suffer Twin Injury Blows After 1st Test Loss vs India
Sri Lanka's miseries have compounded after their loss against India in the first Test in Galle
Sri Lanka's miseries have compounded after their loss against India in the first Test in Galle. Coach Gary Kirsten's update on injured Sri Lankan players did not offer an upbeat scenario for the hosts ahead of the second Test. Sri Lanka will miss Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Mendis. "Kusal Mendis has got a proper hamstring injury. He's not going to be available for a while. Pathum Nissanka as well as Dinesh (Chandimal) are also not available for the next Test. So, we're missing a few guys from that perspective, but it creates a great opportunity for young players to come in and stake their claim. In fact, players who have got really good first-class records in this country. So it's a good opportunity for them," he said.
Despite going down to India in the first Test here, head coach Gary Kirsten was pleased to see Sri Lankan players embracing the challenges that the red-ball format offers.
The 165-run defeat to India was Sri Lanka's second defeat in three Tests after going down to the West Indies by an innings and 217 runs at North Sound, Antigua, in June.
"I'm particularly excited by being involved with Sri Lankan cricket. I think there are some great players here, but the team still needs to develop. It is sometimes tough when you don't play Test cricket to understand how you need to play it," Kirsten said in the post-match press conference.
"This is now our third Test match in the space of a couple of months, and I can already see the team developing, and we're starting to build some shape into the team.
"But we need to be able to turn it into a performance at some point. But as I said, we're kind of building that and developing that as best we can," he added.
Kirsten was happy to see the fight Sri Lanka showed despite being reduced to 99 for five in the early part of their first innings and then dragging the match into the fifth and final day.
"From being 99 for 5 at the beginning of the third day to then taking the Test match into the afternoon of the fifth day was particularly pleasing. There was a bit of fight, and we were keen to try and stay in the Test match.
"We still believed even this (Wednesday) morning that we could make something happen, either win the Test match or certainly draw it. So, I was really pleased with the energy and the attitude of the team around that.
"But I think if you look at the Test match, we battled with the bat, especially in our top order, in both innings, and that probably cost us," he added.
Kirsten lauded young batter Sonal Dinusha, who scored 100 and 84 across the Galle Test.
"His love for Test cricket and playing that way is particularly pleasing for me to watch, and we would certainly encourage all our players to have that Test-match mindset and attitude.
"I think the challenge for modern players, especially in Sri Lanka, is that you don't play much Test cricket. At least now, we've got another six matches to go within the next six months or so.
"So it's great to get into the Test-match game a little bit and then understand how to score runs, bat for long periods of time, and have an influence on a game over a long period of time," he said.Â
With PTI inputsÂ
India Cricket Team
Sri Lanka Cricket Team