The trio of Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, and Kasun Rajitha took
all 20 wickets against Bangladesh.
Thirty-eight years had elapsed since Sri Lanka's speed three took all 20
wickets in a Test. In 1986, Ashantha de Mel, Ravi Ratnayeke, and Kosala
Kuruppuarachchi defeated Pakistan in Colombo.
And against Bangladesh on Monday, Sri Lanka's modern-day trinity of Vishwa
Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, and Kasun Rajitha duplicated their feat. They took
great advantage of the Sylhet pitch, which had a noticeable green tint. However,
this was an away team taking advantage of a rare situation in which a
Bangladesh location provided pace and bounce.
Sri Lanka skipper Dhananjaya de Silva was happy with how
their plan to select three fast bowlers turned out. The visitors finished the
328-run triumph with a day and a half to spare. It would give the pace three
more times off, which might be critical ahead of the second Test in Chattogram,
Bangladesh's traditional batting stronghold. Dhananjaya stated the fast bowlers
performed admirably with the new ball, and he was pleased with how they
maintained their shape despite the Sylhet pitch slowing down during the Test.
"When we saw it, it looked like a fast-bowling wicket, so we went with
three seamers," he explained after the victory. "It paid off at the
end of the day. As the game progressed, the wicket deteriorated. The pace was
decreasing for the quick bowlers. "I'm pleased with their bowling
performance in this game. We also use three seamers at home." I believe
that if you can get the new ball to move on any wicket, the captain will have
more wicket-taking alternatives. Instead of dealing with spinners, I want to go
with fast bowlers."
Dhananjaya himself had a memorable Test, scoring two hundreds alongside
debutant Kamindu Mendis. They also recorded 150-plus partnerships in both
innings, which is a remarkable feat in Tests. Dhananjaya was happy with Mendis'
perseverance in getting into the Test team and then making the most of the role
assigned to him.
"What I'm really happy about Kamindu is how he's come back,"
he went on to say. "He's been pounding on the national team's door for a
long time, and I believe he's taken advantage of the opportunity. Also, I've
batted in the No. 7 hole previously, so I believe he's suited to it. His
technique is strong; he has power, and he is extremely intelligent. So I don't
believe we made a mistake in choosing him."
Sri Lanka has never had a captain score two hundred in a Test. Dhananjaya stated that he is relishing the increased responsibility, with seasoned leaders on his side to assist him. Dimuth Karunaratne, Angelo Mathews, and Dinesh Chandimal have previously captained Sri Lanka in Tests, while Kusal Mendis is the current ODI captain. However, Dhananjaya is not planning too far ahead at the moment, therefore he is not paying attention to the World Test Championship points table, where Sri Lanka is now ranked sixth.
"I have captained the A team and clubs in Sri Lanka. "It is not new to me," he stated. "Three former captains and the ODI captain are on the team, so they also back me. Management also provides support. It is not a burden for me; rather, it represents an opportunity. "I'm having fun."I prefer to look at things match by match rather than in terms of rankings. Now that this game is done, I'm thinking about what we can accomplish in the next one. I'm solely thinking about how to win that game. Aside from that, any changes to the rankings will occur as a result. But we are just planning for one match at a time."
Sri Lanka were reduced to 57 for 5 in the first innings and
126 for 6 in the second when Dhananjaya and Mendis dug them out of trouble.
Thus, the captain identified top-order batting as an area for improvement
before of the Chattogram Test.
"As a captain, I'm very happy, but at the same time there are areas for
improvement as well," he added. "[There are] some issues that we need
to talk with the coaching staff and resolve promptly. There is clearly an opportunity for growth in the batting, so we need to address those weaknesses
before the next tour."
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