Watch cricket video highlights of New Zealand tour of Sri Lanka 2024. First Test between SL and NZ. Venue of the match will be Galle.
All five days of the Test, including the fourth day’s rest day, are predicted to see rain. As the Galle surface often deteriorates by days four and five, it is nearly a must to win the toss and bat first. With lots of part-time spin alternatives available to help Mitchell Santner and Ajaz Patel, New Zealand’s playing XI is mostly self-selected. Regarding Tim Southee’s second seam possibility, there are only uncertainties.
For the first time in more than a year, Oshada Fernando is back in the Test team, but Sri Lanka has chosen not to alter a successful lineup, at least when it comes to batting. As a result of taking the gloves, Kusal Mendis will not bat at number three. Dinesh Chandimal will be moved up in the order as a result, while Mendis will drop to number 7. Since spin will take center stage, Ramesh Mendis will assist Prabath Jayasuriya. Rachin Ravindra is still relatively young in his Test career, but he has already established himself in white-ball cricket.
Despite this, he is clearly a vital component of New Zealand’s system, both now and in the future, having scored a double-ton and batting at the important number four spot. However, his greatest use may lie in the subcontinent. Since he has played five of his seven Test matches at home, he has not been challenged much on Asian surfaces. However, with his mix of solid batting basics and left-arm orthodox spin, he has all the tools necessary to convert his impressive home form into away performances.
There’s no better place to start when it comes to dangers relating to Galle than Prabath Jayasuriya. Six of his eight home Test matches have taken place at Galle, where he has an absurd record of 53 wickets in 12 innings. He has taken five wickets or more in half of those innings, and he has never once taken fewer than a three-for. Jayasuriya will be eager to take center stage once more after being shelved for the England tour and failing to participate in the last Test. Since New Zealand’s last trip of Sri Lanka, a lot has transpired.
In 2019, the world had not yet seen Covid-19, and the Lankan team was still getting over Rangana Herath’s retirement. Now, with the epidemic well behind us, Herath is preparing to take on his role as New Zealand’s spin-bowling coach. Having said that, there are many parallels with the last tour. One notable example is that Sri Lanka entered the match in 2024 fresh off a historic victory in a series in South Africa, and in 2024 they concluded a grueling trip with a consoling Test win in England.
The 2019 series coincided with a presidential election, but one that was not quite as close as the one that was scheduled to postpone the opening Test by one day. With a few retirements, some new faces, and a little more gray hair, this is still essentially the same New Zealand group. Additionally, in terms of where they may want to be in terms of readiness for their run in this World Test Championship cycle, it might be a bit undercooked.
The last Test match New Zealand played was in March, and they haven’t had a competitive match since the World Cup in June due to a washed-out Test against Afghanistan earlier this month. Despite having three victories and three defeats, they are now in third position in the WTC rankings. However, they have a daunting challenge ahead of them: two Tests in spin-friendly Galle, which they have never won, followed by three more in India. Regarding Sri Lanka, the year has been rather unpredictable.
An awful World Cup performance contrasted with some good early-season wins against Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, and then a brilliant home victory in the ODI series against India. They were on the verge of humiliation in England as well, but a brilliant performance in the third Test made sure they would enter their home series with the winning momentum.
With four of their next six Tests being at home, that most recent victory might yet prove to be crucial in their quest for an improbable spot in the WTC final. However, it appears that the weather is following the tourists from Greater Noida, India, as rain is predicted for the whole first Test.
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