Sri Lanka head coach Gary Kirsten believes his Test side is beginning to find its structural footing, even in the wake of a heavy 165-run defeat to India in Galle. According to Kirsten, the players are starting to function more consistently within their designated roles, a marked shift for a team that has endured significant scheduling gaps.
The loss extends Sri Lanka’s winless start under Kirsten to three matches, following a series defeat in the West Indies earlier this year. However, the coach struck a notably optimistic tone, pointing to the value of consistent match practice. This fixture was Sri Lanka’s first home Test in 14 months; prior to June, the side had gone a full year without playing the format.
“It’s sometimes tough when you don’t play much Test cricket to understand how you need to play,” Kirsten said. “This is our third Test in the space of a couple of months, and I can see already the team developing. We’re starting to build some shape into the team, but we need to turn it into a performance at some point.”
Kirsten emphasized that the blueprint for a competitive Test unit requires a balanced attack capable of taking 20 wickets in varied conditions. “You need to be able to get 20 wickets consistently, bowl teams out with your seam, and be able to bowl teams out with spin as well. It’s really important that we develop that Test match squad.”
While Sri Lanka struggled to claim 20 wickets across two Tests in Antigua, the bowlers succeeded on the more responsive Galle surface against a formidable Indian lineup. Kirsten identified the top-order batting as the primary reason for the defeat, with the side collapsing to 90 for 5 in the first innings and 47 for 4 in the second.
A congested upcoming schedule offers a pathway to accelerate that development. Beyond the second Test against India at the SSC, Sri Lanka face away tours to Pakistan and New Zealand before the year’s end, followed by a home series against South Africa in February and March.
“I think the challenge for the modern players, especially in Sri Lanka, is you don’t play much Test cricket,” Kirsten noted. “At least now we’ve got another six to go within the next six months or so, so it’s great to get into the Test match game a little bit and then to understand how to score runs and bat for long periods of time and have an influence on a game over a long period of time.”
Regarding the bowling unit, Kirsten expressed strong satisfaction. Sri Lanka dismissed India for 193 in the second innings, though the tourists’ aggressive declaration—fueled by a 178-run first-innings lead—dictated the tempo of the final day.
“I thought we did a brilliant job with the ball yesterday,” Kirsten said. “We got ten wickets in just under 50 overs, which is an amazing effort. In fact, if we had taken one or two catches, we might have been chasing early 300s, which might have changed the complexion of the game.”
“Where we probably lost the game was losing wickets up front in both innings,” he added. “You can’t afford that in Test cricket, especially when the opposition has hit 460-odd. India applied themselves really well in that first innings.”
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