Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis is confident his experienced batting line-up has the technique and temperament to counter Pakistan’s expected pace-friendly conditions as the visitors prepare for the opening Test in Rawalpindi on Monday. With the hosts potentially opting for a greener surface to bring their fast bowlers into the contest, Mendis has backed his senior batters to rise to the challenge, insisting their experience of playing in England will hold them in good stead.
The Sri Lankan skipper believes the presence of experienced campaigners such as Dinesh Chandimal and Dhananjaya de Silva, alongside himself, gives the team the necessary confidence to negotiate challenging conditions away from home.
“We know they will be giving a little bit different wicket. I think the batters have to manage our skills and preparation well. I know we have a very good batting line-up with some very senior players… Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, myself, and a couple of other guys.
“Everyone knows how to play on a green wicket. We played really well in England also, so I have no doubt in my batting line-up,” Mendis told reporters.
First Test assignment as captain for Kusal Mendis
The Rawalpindi Test will mark Mendis’ first assignment as Sri Lanka’s Test captain after he took over the leadership from Dhananjaya de Silva in early October. The 31-year-old admitted that leading the side in the longest format was something he was particularly looking forward to, despite the challenges of an extended stay in Pakistan.
Sri Lanka have spent more than a month in the country, having arrived for the preceding white-ball assignments. Mendis acknowledged that spending such a long period away from home, largely between hotels and training sessions, had not been easy for the players.
However, he said the squad had found ways to keep itself occupied and was now fully focused on switching gears for Test cricket.
“Honestly, compared to ODIs and T20s, Test cricket is very different. I think everyone mostly likes to play Test cricket. Me as well. I’m very happy to captain in Test cricket,” he said.
“It’s not easy, sometimes we stay in the hotel and come to practice and that’s it… I think it’s a little bit hard to stay one month in a hotel. But we do some stuff in the team room, games and individual things to keep ourselves entertained.”
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Mendis backs experienced bowling attack to deliver
Sri Lanka are yet to register a Test victory in their two series this year against West Indies and India, but Mendis believes the performances of his bowling unit offer plenty of encouragement ahead of the Pakistan challenge.
The skipper pointed to the experience within the attack, highlighting how the fast bowlers have delivered consistently across formats and are equipped to handle the demands of Test cricket.
Sri Lanka have several pace options at their disposal, with Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Dilshan Madushanka and Eshan Malinga forming the fast-bowling contingent alongside all-rounder Milan Rathnayake. Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya will lead the spin department.
“We have a very balanced side, both with the bowling and batting unit. I think we’ve done really well in the past couple of tours in the bowling side, and same in one-day cricket. The fast-bowling attack is doing well,” Mendis said.
“We have a very senior bowling unit, the guys have played so many first-class and international matches. Same in the batting, so everyone is ready for tomorrow’s game.”
Mendis praises Pakistan’s hospitality and security arrangements
Beyond preparations for the series, Mendis also expressed satisfaction with the arrangements made by the Pakistan Cricket Board during Sri Lanka’s extended stay in the country.
The Sri Lankan captain praised the security arrangements and said the players had been comfortable with the local food, which he felt was similar to the cuisine back home.
“Security-wise, everybody is very happy. Food, we normally eat spicy and everything, so same like in Sri Lanka it’s in Pakistan. I think everyone has had a happy stay in Pakistan,” he added.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
