Australia's cricket team is facing challenges on the second day of the second Test against Sri Lanka, held at Galle. After starting poorly, they ended the first session of play at 85 for 2, trailing Sri Lanka's competitive total of 257 by 172 runs. Marnus Labuschagne continued his lean run of form, managing only four runs before being dismissed, raising questions about his spot on the team. The Australian squad, struggling with injuries, must regroup to improve their batting performance against Sri Lanka’s spin attack.
The day began with Sri Lanka resuming their innings at 9 for 229. Kusal Mendis stood out, contributing significantly with 85 runs, but the rest of the lineup could not extend the lead much beyond their initial total. The final wicket fell at 257, leaving Australia with the task of chasing down the runs on a deteriorative pitch. The conditions, characterized by cracks and significant dust, appeared increasingly threatening to the batting lineup.
Early on, Australia faced immediate setbacks when they lost both Travis Head (21) and Labuschagne to Sri Lanka's spin bowling. Labuschagne's dismissal came when he was struck lbw by Prabath Jayasuriya, prompting Sri Lanka to successfully review the call. This left Labuschagne with just one century from his last 50 Test innings and raised more concerns about his current form. Former Australian cricketer Greg Blewett called it, simply, "a brain fade" for Labuschagne, who needed to be more cautious against turning deliveries.
Despite the early collapse, Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith managed to stabilize the innings, with Khawaja reaching 36 before falling victim to another lbw decision. Smith, on the other hand, remained not out at lunch, leading the team with 54 runs as the players went to their break at 85 for 2. His presence at the crease is pivotal as Australia works to reach Sri Lanka's score, battling against both the deteriorative pitch and Sri Lanka's craftiness with the ball.
Australian bowlers had earlier done well to restrict Sri Lanka’s innings. Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, and Matthew Kuhnemann all claimed three wickets each, contributing to Sri Lanka's total being kept relatively low, considering the conditions. The initial confidence from their bowling performance seems to have been undermined by the batting struggles, emphasizing the total team effort needed to bounce back.
With Josh Inglis sidelined due to back soreness, Alex Carey stepped up, taking his place higher up the batting order. Carey's performance will be integral as Australia looks to build on their current 148-run position. Moving forward, Australia will need to improve their strategy and execution to counter the pressures applied by Sri Lanka's spinners.
The upcoming sessions will be decidedly tense, with Australia needing to elicit substantial runs to counteract Sri Lanka's significant first innings lead. If they continue to falter against the spinners and their middle order fails to capitalize on the good starts, they could find it challenging to secure any meaningful outcome from the match.
Labuschagne's issues at the crease are especially glaring; after previously scoring at an average of 62.3 from the start of 2019 to the end of 2022, his form has markedly deteriorated. Since the beginning of 2023, he has only managed to average 30.9. The stakes are rising for him to rediscover his touch quickly, as there's only one more Test before June to make his case for selection moving forward.
Australia's cricket fortunes will look to turn around throughout the rest of this match, with Smith and Carey anchoring their efforts. The team will need cohesive performance from every angle, primarily against Sri Lanka's strong spin attack. The outcome of this Test could set the tone for the remainder of the series and could either re-establish or subdue Australian aspirations.