Sri Lanka have probably fared better than they do now: Chaminda Vaas took 355 Test wickets and Lasith Malinga smoldered until injuries overtook him. But Sri Lanka has probably never had the fast bowling depth it currently possesses.
“As of now we are still talking about how many fast bowlers we will play and we will only make a decision on that later,” de Silva said. “The track here is quite green.
“I think in that England series we learned that we can win matches abroad with our pace attack. They have been improving day by day and we saw the results of that at The Oval. We can’t blame our fast bowlers for the loss in Durban , that’s all the fault of the batsmen, who hit 40-somethings. You can’t win a Test like that.”
Kumara has had more modest performances in South Africa since then and has also been plagued by injuries, particularly hamstring strains and tears. If he plays on Thursday, which seems highly likely, he will have played seven Tests in 2024, which is his highest figure for a calendar year.
“From what I see, Lahiru has been consistent in the last two years and has played a lot of games,” de Silva said. “He had been in and out of the team due to injuries, but now he has been able to play consistently and learn what his strengths and weaknesses are. Now he can support those strengths because he has played back-to-back games. I think that is the main thing that has contributed to his success “
The huge loss in Durban, de Silva said, was almost entirely due to the failure of the batting group. Although a fast bowler himself, he has been a fast bowling captain, insisting that Sri Lanka play at least two fast bowlers even at home, so that they can be more competitive in the SENA nations. He hopes to reap the fruits of this in Gqeberha.
