Sri Lanka sadly was pushed to the wall, outplayed in their own den in the recently concluded red ball test against Australia, but in the ODI format Sri Lanka at R.Premadasa Stadium have a better winning record than Australia so far.
Australia has been more dominant in the overall played in this format, by 64 games to Sri Lanka’s 36 from 104 exchanges.
However, at this venue, Sri Lanka is ahead by 14 games to 7, whilst 4 encounters were dead locked.
Australia has rested Marcus Stonis, Pat Cummins, and Jos Hazelwood and are checking out their bench strength with Jake Frazer – Mc Gurk , Cooper Cononley and spinner Tanveer Saga.
These fresh players will be determined to show the selectors ‘we belong to the park and not the bench’ , hence, Sri Lanka can not breathe a sigh of relief that 3 seniors are rested for the series in the Australian team. The only advantage Sri Lanka has is that the conditions to the three new players on trial are very alien and are spin dominant.
Steve Smith, Marnus Labuchange, Travis Head, Alex Carey, and Glen Maxwell are the experienced campaigners with Mitchell Starc , Adam Zampa, the experienced bowling unit to fill in the blanks in the bowling cordon.
Sri Lanka is not taking any chances by introducing new blood into their squad based on the fact that you cannot throw in fresh legs to the deep end against the might of an Australian team who are on a high after thumping the home team in the Warne- Murali series.
Sri Lanka has a strong batting lineup, but the same was stated in the red ball series, but that statement never carried water because the top order looked mediocre against the quality bowling and fielding deciplines of Australia.
Sri Lanka can blow the trumpets of Charith Asalanka, Pathum Nissanka, the Menidis combination of Kamindu and Kusal, or the free flow of Avishka Fernando in whiteball format backed by the bowling cordon led by Hasaranga, Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage, but the taste in this combination will be tested by an Australian outfit who display a far better skill set and Cricketing brain which is challenging to Sri Lankan home soil advantage or name it what you may.
Remember what the late Tony Greig said on commentry quote “You are applauded only for what you did on your last innings hence, living by your past glory is equal to an “IF” and “BUT in Cricket. Hence, your last performance is dead and gone period Un Quote.
In conclusion, Sri Lanka might head the series at the R. Premadasa Stadium against Australia, but the past glory is only a temporary satisfaction and not a permanent guarantee of superiority.
