Sri Lankan cricket has experienced a year of dramatic highs and sobering lows. Triumphs across formats—like breaking a 27-year ODI series drought against India, clinching a Test win in England after a decade, and securing a Test series victory over New Zealand after 14 years—are testaments to their resurgence. But the recent Test series defeat in South Africa has been a bitter pill to swallow, especially when a World Test Championship final berth seemed within reach.
At the forefront of this rollercoaster ride is Sanath Jayasuriya, who has reinvigorated the team with his bold decisions and unwavering support for emerging players. However, the South African tour exposed significant gaps in Sri Lanka’s armour, leading to a 2-0 defeat.
“It’s been a good turnaround overall, but this series was disappointing,” Jayasuriya admitted candidly. “We had moments of promise but couldn’t sustain pressure. Back home, we’ll address the areas that need fixing.”
Kamindu Mendis, the exciting young talent who has already matched Sir Don Bradman’s feat of being the third-fastest to 1,000 Test runs, faced a reality check in South Africa. Targeted by South African bowlers, he couldn’t cross fifty in the series, but Jayasuriya remains optimistic.
“I’m not concerned about Kamindu. He’s a quick learner, and these phases are part of Test cricket,” said Jayasuriya. “The South Africans had done their homework on him and didn’t give him breathing room, but that’s how you grow as a player. Kamindu is resilient and will come back stronger.”
Despite his struggles, Kamindu’s potential remains undeniable. His ability to adapt to conditions and his temperament have already drawn comparisons to some of the game’s greats.
While Kamindu struggled, Lahiru Kumara emerged as the shining star of the series. Often plagued by injuries in the past, the fast bowler has found a new level of consistency this year. His performance against South Africa was nothing short of phenomenal. He has taken 30 wickets in seven Tests this year at an average of 23—significantly better than his career average of 35.
“Lahiru has been phenomenal,” Jayasuriya said, beaming with pride. “He’s always had raw pace, but now he’s added accuracy to his game. He troubled every South African batter and bowled with heart.”
Kumara’s fiery spells left the South African camp bruised—literally. His bouncers fractured Wiaan Mulder’s finger, left Ryan Rickelton nursing a bruised hand, and forced Kagiso Rabada to undergo a concussion test after being struck on the helmet.
Jayasuriya’s faith in Kumara’s abilities has paid dividends. “His fitness and consistency have improved tremendously, and he’s now a strike bowler we can rely on,” the coach noted.
While Kumara and Kamindu took center stage for different reasons, the team’s collective batting performance left much to be desired. Not a single Sri Lankan managed a century in the series, and veterans Angelo Mathews and Dimuth Karunaratne had a series to forget.
The inability to capitalize on starts has been a recurring issue. Dinesh Chandimal and Pathum Nissanka were guilty of throwing away promising innings, and the team’s tail failed to add valuable runs—highlighting the gap between Sri Lanka’s lower order and their counterparts.