Galle, Sri Lanka - The highly anticipated second and final Test between Sri Lanka and Australia began on Thursday at Galle International Stadium, with Sri Lanka's captain Dhananjaya de Silva winning the toss and opting to bat first. This decision came as Sri Lanka seeks to recover from their opening defeat by Australia, which was marked by an innings and 242 runs, their heaviest loss to date in Test cricket.
To bolster their chances, the hosts have made three significant changes to their squad compared to the first Test. Opening batsman Pathum Nissanka returns after sidelining due to a groin injury. He is joined by spinner Ramesh Mendis and pace bowler Lahiru Kumara, who replace top-order batter Oshada Fernando, spinner Jeffrey Vandersay, and pacer Asitha Fernando, respectively. These strategic adjustments aim to strengthen the Sri Lankan lineup as they face the Australian team.
Crucially, this match holds special significance for Sri Lanka’s Dimuth Karunaratne, appearing for the 100th time in Test cricket. The experienced opening batsman announced this would be his final match, adding emotional weight to the game. Underlining Karunaratne's importance to the team, De Silva remarked, "Batting first is big in Galle, we need to get some runs, we've planned well. He's been a great captain, has scored a lot of runs and we'll miss him.”
On the Australian side, the visitors also made adjustments by handing debut to all-rounder Cooper Connolly. This move adds depth to their batting order, with Connolly replacing spinner Todd Murphy from their successful previous match lineup. Australian captain Steve Smith acknowledged the change, stating, "One change for us, Cooper Connolly makes his Test debut, replacing Tim Murphy. We'll have to go out and bowl well, take our chances and hopefully there'll be some swing with the new ball." Smith's focus indicates the importance of tactical execution as they aim to solidify their dominating position.
The final playing XI for both teams reflects these changes as follows:
Australia: Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (captain), Josh Inglis, Alex Carey (wicketkeeper), Beau Webster, Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Matthew Kuhnemann.
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (captain), Kusal Mendis, Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Nishan Peiris, Lahiru Kumara.
With all eyes on the pitch, both teams are hopeful for favorable conditions and promising performances. The day holds the potential for drama as the Sri Lankan side would seek to avoid back-to-back losses, especially to arch-rivals Australia, who feel invigorated by their preceding victory.