Now Reading: Mathews urges Sri Lanka to attack India in Galle Test
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Mathews urges Sri Lanka to attack India in Galle Test
Sri Lanka must show positive body language and take the game to India in the first Test at Galle, former captain Angelo Mathews said on Friday. Sri Lanka last beat India in…
The Story in Brief
Sri Lanka must show positive body language and take the game to India in the first Test at Galle, former captain Angelo Mathews said on Friday. Sri Lanka last beat India in a Test in 2015, also in Galle. Mathews expects spinners Prabath Jayasuriya and Ramesh Mendis to matter, but said Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando could influence the match with the new ball. He added that India could miss Jasprit Bumrah, though Mohammed Siraj, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav remain threats.
Mathews also backed Rishabh Pant to make a Virender Sehwag-like impact and urged batters to use their feet and sweep well against spin. He warned that rank turners can backfire on home sides. He also criticised the limited number of Tests Sri Lanka plays, saying longer gaps hurt consistency.
The Indian Opinion
The lazy reading is that Galle will be decided by spin alone, or that Bumrah’s absence makes India vulnerable. Mathews’ own assessment is more balanced: pace with the new ball, batting choices and discipline may matter as much as turning conditions. Pant’s aggression can change a session, but backing it must not mean ignoring reckless shot selection. The clearest measure will be which side controls the first innings and avoids losing early wickets.
Sources (3): thehindu.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com, deccanherald.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 3 sources.
