Big picture
Sri Lanka aren’t quite ripe for the plucking; Tests are still probably their safest format. But there is a little instability around this outfit that could hypothetically make them vulnerable. This series sees the return of several senior players – including Angelo Mathews – who had felt slighted during the months-long contracts standoff the players were involved in, with the board. This is also Mickey Arthur’s final Test series as coach, and the likes of batting coach Grant Flower, and bowling coach Chaminda Vaas, aren’t guaranteed their positions into next year either.
As both matches are due to be played in Galle, spin is likeliest to decide the series. How will these flawed teams use it? How will they play it? On that front, Sri Lanka would seem to have a significant edge, particularly after West Indies’ tour match in Colombo was rained out.
Big picture
(completed matches, most recent first)
West Indies LWLLD
Sri Lanka WDDDL
In the spotlight
Kyle Mayers may have created more buzz this year, but West Indies’ most consistent batter, by a slim margin, has been their captain, Kraigg Brathwaite. In 2021, he has hit 556 runs at 34.75, and given most of his 16 innings have come against the brand new Dukes ball, these are laudable numbers. But does he struggle against spin bowling, on turning tracks? He had one outstanding tour of the UAE in 2016, but even with his 328 from that series, his numbers in Asia (average of 28.87), lags behind his career stats. If he can spend substantial time at the crease (in his trademark shades-and-helmet), West Indies will likely make a bigger impact than they did in 2016, when they lost 2-0.
66, 118, 244, 75 – so read Dimuth Karunaratne‘s last four Test knocks. The problem is, the most recent of these came way back in May, so it’s not as if you can say he comes into the series in form. Rarely does a home Test series pass by without a serious contribution from him, however, and he is especially good at Galle, where he has produced exceptional innings on tough pitches. West Indies’ bowlers will be desperate to neutralise him early.
Pitch and conditions
The surface is likely to be spin-friendly, but with the amount of rain that’s been around in all parts of the country, the pitch is unlikely to start out very dry. Given the northeast monsoon is still in operation, expect frequent rain interruptions, particularly in the afternoons.
Team news
News from the Sri Lanka camp is that Charith Asalanka will get a debut, following his excellent turn in the T20 World Cup. It’s not clear where he will bat, however. Sri Lanka might be tempted to move Pathum Nissanka – a prolific opener at first-class level, who has usually batted in the middle order in Tests – up the order, to partner Karunaratne, which means Asalanka slips in low down the order.
Dinesh Chandimal is likely to keep wickets, with Niroshan Dickwella suspended for a year over breaking Covid protocols in England.
Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Dimuth Karunaratne (capt.), 2 Pathum Nissanka, 3 Oshada Fernando, 4 Angelo Mathews, 5 Dhananjaya de Silva, 6 Dinesh Chandimal (wk), 7 Charith Asalanka, 8 Ramesh Mendis, 9 Suranga Lakmal, 10 Lasith Embuldeniya, 11 Dushmantha Chameera/Lahiru Kumara
Jeremy Solozano, the Trinidad opening batter, could also be in line for a debut, as Brathwaite’s opening partner. With Roston Chase capable of delivering half-decent offspin, West Indies will also have to decide which of their other spin options – offspinner Rahkeem Cornwall, or left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican – plays. They could field them both, but that would mean their only serious seam options are Kemar Roach and Jason Holder.
West Indies (possible): 1 Kraigg Brathwaite (capt.), 2 Jeremy Solozano, 3 Nkrumah Bonner, 4 Roston Chase, 5 Jermaine Blackwood, 6 Kyle Mayers, 7 Rahkeem Cornwall, 8 Jason Holder, 9 Joshua da Silva (wk), 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Jomel Warrican/Jayden Seales
Stats and rivia
- This is West Indies’ second World Test Championship series in the new cycle. They had won one Test and lost one against Pakistan in August, giving them 12 points. For Sri Lanka, this is their first series in the new cycle.
- Kraigg Brathwaite averages 25.75 in four innings in Sri Lanka – his third worst average in host countries, after India (where he averages 19.91), and Bangladesh (21.16).
- Dimuth Karunaratne averages 51.36 in Galle, and averages 47.52 as captain. His career average is 38.62.
- Across conditions, West Indies have won just one of the seven most-recent Tests between these sides. Sri Lanka have won three of them.
Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo’s Sri Lanka correspondent. @afidelf