The first match of the Warne-Murali Test series between the touring Australian cricket team and Sri Lanka is scheduled to start today at 10 am at the Galle International Cricket Stadium.
Although the victory in this series is not very important for Australia, which has already entered the finals of the World Test Championship, this is a very important tournament for Sri Lanka to finish third above India in the World Championship points. Therefore, there is no doubt that the Sri Lankan team will throw all the trumps for the victory in the Galle arena.
Galle pitch is a spinner’s paradise so both the teams have more confidence in spinners. Australia is likely to play with four specialist bowlers. Two front-line fast bowlers and a couple of top-line spinners are expected to play at Galle.
Off-spinner Nathan Lyon will be heavily relied upon, while left-arm spinner Matthew Koonman will lead the spin attack at the other end.
With Travis Head promoted to opener, Josh Inglis is expected to replace him.
Young batsman Sam Konstas is a big hope, while the likes of captain Steve Smith and Marnes Labuschagne are stalwarts in the batting line-up.
Steve Smith, who has played 114 Tests, needs just one more run to reach his 10,000th Test run and is expected to do so in the Galle Test.
All-rounder Sonal Dinusha has been named in the Test squad for the first time and is expected to make his Test debut. Oshadha Fernando will play in the first Test in place of Pathum Nissanka, who was injured during the last tour of New Zealand. Prabhath Jayasuriya has taken more wickets and the usual rhythm is expected on this pitch.
The last Test series between Australia and Sri Lanka in 2022 in Galle ended in a 1-1 draw, while Sri Lanka won the 2016 Test series 3-0.
Since 1983, Australia and Sri Lanka have played 33 Test matches, out of which Australia has won 20 and Sri Lanka has won 5. 8 matches ended without a solution. Australia has lost 5 matches out of 18 matches they have played in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Dimuth Karunaratne, 2 Oshada Fernando, 3 Dinesh Chandimal, 4 Angelo Mathews, 5 Kamindu Mendis, 6 Dhananjaya de Silva (capt.), 7 Kusal Mendis (wk), 8 Prabath Jayasuriya, 9 Nishan Peiris, 10 Asitha Fernando, 11 Lahiru Kumara/Vishwa Fernando
Australia (possible): 1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Travis Head, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith (capt.), 5 Josh Inglis, 6 Beau Webster, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Mathew Kuhnemann, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Scott Boland/ Todd Murphy
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