Galle, Sri Lanka – Australia won the toss and elected to bat first in the opening Test against Sri Lanka on Wednesday. The visitors have stacked their side with three spinners, anticipating a spin-friendly pitch at Galle International Stadium.
Debut for Josh Inglis as Australia Banks on Spin Trio
Wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Inglis made his Test debut for Australia, while left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann and off-spinner Todd Murphy joined veteran Nathan Lyon in a spin-heavy attack. With Pat Cummins absent on paternity leave, Steve Smith has taken over the captaincy.
In a strategic change, Travis Head has been promoted to open the batting, replacing Sam Konstas. Meanwhile, all-rounder Beau Webster is expected to share the new-ball duties alongside Mitchell Starc.
Sri Lanka’s Spin-Loaded Attack and Key Changes
Sri Lanka also opted for a three-pronged spin attack, bringing in leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay to support off-spinner Nishan Peiris and left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya. Vandersay and Peiris, both relatively new to Test cricket, will be key in the home side’s bowling strategy.
A notable change in the batting lineup sees Oshada Fernando replacing the injured Pathum Nissanka in Sri Lanka’s top order.
Series Details and Team Lineups
The second and final Test of the series is scheduled to start on February 6, also in Galle.
Playing XIs:
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne, Oshada Fernando, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Nishan Peiris, Asitha Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay.
Australia: Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Josh Inglis, Beau Webster, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Matt Kuhnemann, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy.
Match Officials:
- On-field Umpires: Chris Gaffaney (New Zealand) & Adrian Holdstock (South Africa)
- Third Umpire: Joel Wilson (West Indies)
- Match Referee: Jeff Crowe (New Zealand)
With both teams fielding strong spin attacks, the battle in Galle promises to be an intriguing contest between bat and ball.
