I haven’t played a test match for nearly eight months and it’s very difficult to adjust to the longer version game quickly and we want to adjust to the conditions and play a good test series said Sri Lanka test skipper Dimuth Karunaratne yesterday. Not only me most of my players have this experience and when we go to the test match we have to adjust to the game within first 2-3 overs and that is a very vital period for us. But we have to take this challenge said Sri Lanka skipper Karunaratne.
Dimuth Karunaratne who was the most successful test opener last year recalled his early cricket test career way back in 2014 in a test match in New Zealand. It was very hard period while I was dropped from the team before that test match and returned to the team in the second test and first innings I was back in the pavilion with out scoring a run . However in the second innings I scored my first test hundred (152). I played under pressure in New Zealand conditions and that was good experience as an opener and wanted to repeat that once again.
Karunaratne who is an astute leader said this time we came here in different conditions and it’s little bit hot and wicket might be dry but we have still not studied the wickets clearly. However with this type of weather most of the time we have a chance to play an extra spinner apart from Dhananjaya de Silva. But it’s not finalized and we have to observe wickets more and take a final decision said Karunaratne.
Here in New Zeeland weather is good for us not very cool and hot conditions while this condition suits the spinners with three pacemen for the final eleven but can’t tell too early and todays final training session in the evening and we have to take a decision. Actually we have to go with three seamers most probably Kasun Rajitha, Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando and we wanted to have variety with left arm paceman while new comer Milan Ratnayake and Lahiru Kumara also in the squad and after first test we might make changes it’s depend on how they will bowl in the first game .
The skipper Dimuth Karunaratne said this New Zealand series is a must-win for us, to be in the World Test Championship final. I don't want to put pressure on the boys, but everyone knows this is a must-win game for us to be in the World Test Championship and we all want to go for that target.
"We're in the top-three right now, so we have one hurdle and everyone knows where we are now. The boys are working hard to win the two Test Championship final and pushing to be in that final added Karunaratne.
We have two new batsmen in the test squad Nishan Madushka for top order and Kamindu Mendis for middle order and both of them can get good experience as they are fighting for places. Niroshan Dickwella is our regular wicket keeper. Those days we had Prasanna Jayawardena and Kumar Sangakkara and they were specialist wicket keepers and Dickwella also does that part and second choice is Nishan Madushka who is also a top order batter.
I got opportunity to play last season in Australia league cricket but Australia and New Zealand conditions are different and most important is to adjust to the conditions here in New Zealand.