SL vs AUS: Sri Lanka's Predicted Playing XI Against Australia, 1st Test

Sri Lanka face off against Australia in a two-match Test series with the first Test starting in Galle from June 29. The hosts lost the T20I series but bounced back to win the ODI series. However, they have a very bad record against the Aussies in Test cricket winning only four out of 31 Test matches.

They have won all their four Test matches at home and are yet to win a Tets match in Australia since the start of this rivalry from 1982-83. They have the worst record against Australia among all the teams they have played Test cricket against.

The Sri Lanka Test squad led by Dimuth Karunaratne has seen the inclusion of spinner Jeffrey Vandersay after his brilliant performance in the five-match ODI series against Australia. Veteran players Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal have been included in the squad and pacers Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando have retained their spots.

SL vs AUS: Sri Lanka’s Predicted Playing XI Against Australia, 1st Test

Dimuth Karunaratne (C)

Karunaratne will open the batting against Australia in the first Test. The Sri Lanka skipper has already scored 592 runs in six Test matches so far in this season.

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Pathum Nissanka

Nissanka was in good form in the white-ball series against Australia. He is a young batsman with a lot of promise. The youngster now needs to transfer his promise into the potential in this Test series.

Dhananjaya De Silva

De Silva is one of Sri Lanka’s best batsmen across formats. He played the ODI series and scored 126 runs in four games. He needs to step up in the Test series.

Niroshan Dickwella (WK)

Dickwella generally opens in ODI and T20I cricket but in this Test series, he can bat at number four. He is an aggressive player and plays on instinct.

Dinesh Chandimal

The experienced keeper-batsman can bat at number five and anchor the innings in the middle order. He has already played 66 Test matches and scored close to 5000 Test runs.

Angelo Mathews

Mathews is Sri Lanka’s most experienced Test batsman. He has also played the most number of matches among the current players. He is four short of 100 Tets matches for his side and inching close to 7000 Test runs.

Kasun Rajitha

Rajitha can be one of the pacers in the Lankan playing XI. He bowls with pace and hits the length hard. He has played 10 Test matches for his sie and has a chance to make a mark in the series.

Vishwa Fernando

Fernando is a left-arm pacer and partner Rajitha from the other end. He is deceptively quick and also swings the ball. His left-arm angle creates a lot of problems for right-hand batters especially.

Praveen Jayawickrama

The left-arm spinner can be one of the three spinners in this Sri Lankan playing XI. Three spinners and two regular pacers forms the perfect bowling combination on these low slow wickets.

Jeffrey Vandersay

Vandersay was drafted into the Test side after his good performances in the T20I and ODI series. The leggie took five wickets in the ODI series to bag his test return.

Lasith Embuldeniya

Embuldeniya concludes Sri Lanka’s likely playing XI for the first Test against Australia in Galle. He has only played Test cricket so far for his side. In 16 Test matches, he has picked up 71 wickets.

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