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Sri Lanka are poised to take on England in the upcoming three-match Test series, which is part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25. The series opener will be hosted at the iconic Old Trafford Cricket Ground, with play set to commence on Wednesday (August 20).
WTC 2023-25 standings and historical context
Both teams will be eager to make a strong start in this series, with England currently positioned sixth in the WTC standings, while Sri Lanka holds the fourth spot. This Test series will mark Sri Lanka’s first tour to England since 2016, offering them a significant opportunity to leave a mark on English soil. The series is especially momentous for Sri Lanka, as they aim to blend optimism with caution as they navigate these challenging conditions.
Sanath Jayasuriya’s coaching success
Sri Lanka will enter this series with confidence, having maintained a perfect record since Dhananjaya de Silva took over as captain. Under his leadership, the team secured Test victories against Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Additionally, legendary all-rounder Sanath Jayasuriya, in his role as interim coach, made an impressive start by leading Sri Lanka to a 2-1 ODI series win against India earlier this month.
Also READ: Sri Lanka Cricket appoints Ian Bell as batting coach for their upcoming England tour
Mindset and strategy: Jayasuriya’s Approach to the England series
As Sri Lanka embarks on their first Test series in England in eight years, Coach Jayasuriya emphasized the importance of the right mindset. Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, he highlighted the significance of maintaining hunger and determination in a series that offers limited opportunities.
“Playing three Tests like this is not an opportunity you will get easily again. So we have to take it while we can. Scoring runs here is challenging, because even if the pitches are flat, the ball can still start swinging, or seaming. We have to know how to adjust to that,” Jayasuriya remarked.
Sanath Jayasuriya reveals the key player
Jayasuriya has high expectations from Dimuth Karunaratne, who is just 75 runs shy of surpassing his interim coach on the all-time run-getters list for Sri Lanka. Jayasuriya praised Karunaratne’s resilience and self-awareness, suggesting that the experienced opener could achieve something remarkable on this tour.
“He is a very strong-minded player. He knows what his strengths and weaknesses are, and has worked on them. He can do something major on this tour,” Jayasuriya concluded.
Jayasuriya scored 6,973 runs in 110 Tests for Sri Lanka from 1991 to 2007, with a highest score of 340, averaging 40.07. He hit 14 centuries and 31 fifties, maintaining a strike rate of 65.18. On the other hand veteran, Karunaratne so far has amassed 6,899 runs in 91 Tests with a highest score of 244, averaging 41.31. He scored 16 centuries and 37 fifties, with a strike rate of 51.72.
