Joe Root’s England will look to sweep Sri Lanka in the second and final Test, starting on Friday, as they prepare to face an India side buo...
Joe Root’s England will look to sweep Sri Lanka in the second and final Test, starting on Friday, as they prepare to face an India side buoyed by their sensational victory in Australia.
England, who resumed a tour that was halted in March by the coronavirus pandemic, won the first Test in Galle by seven wickets and start a four-Test series in India on February 5.
India are riding high after Tuesday’s stunning win in Brisbane, which snapped Australia’s 32-year unbeaten streak at the Gabba and clinched the series 2-1.
“If we can go into that series with a 2-0 win it would do us a world of good for our confidence,” said England coach Chris Silverwood.
“All being well by the time we get to India we’ll have hit our straps fully and be ready to hit the first game hard.”
After skittling Sri Lanka for 135, the tourists should have strolled to victory with Root scoring 228 of England’s first innings of 421. But the hosts’ batsmen put up fierce resistance in the second innings.
Stuart Broad, Sam Curran and Mark Wood led the pace component of an attack that twice bowled out Sri Lanka.
But Silverwood said the team would rotate their options for the second Test, also in Galle,...
