Eight years have passed since Sri Lanka last played a Test in England and their return is long overdue. They are an established Test‑playing nation who over the years have produced wonderful players who have shone on these shores – I remember facing them at the Oval in 1998, when Sanath Jayasuriya scored a double century, Aravinda de Silva got 150, Muttiah Muralitharan took 16 wickets and they won at a canter.
The current team has an established batting lineup with a lot of experience, certainly a lot more than the West Indies side that was convincingly beaten last month, but their bowling attack lacks real pace or the brilliant mystery spin they’ve had in the past. Perhaps that is why in a blockbuster sporting summer, after Euro 2024 and the Olympics and with the Premier League back under way, the imminent arrival of this series has gone under the radar.
