Sri Lanka needs to play more Tests to understand how to play them – Coach Kirsten

Saturday, 22 August 2026 03:38 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Paucity of Test matches is not helping Sri Lanka to develop its Test team

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Gary Kirsten

Sri Lanka’s head coach Gary Kirsten was critical to the point to say that Sri Lanka is not playing enough Test matches to develop into a team that can challenge other top countries in the format.

Kirsten made these observant comments after Sri Lanka had lost the first Test to India at Galle by 165 runs. This defeat came on the back of a 1-0 (1 drawn) series loss to West Indies in the Caribbean. The two-Test series in the Caribbean in June was played after a gap of one year without a single Test match played.

The contributory factor to this state of affairs is Sri Lanka Cricket’s (SLC) over reliance on white ball cricket than red ball cricket. White ball cricket especially T20I certainly brings in big revenues unlike Test match cricket. However a proper balance must be struck so that red ball cricket is not shunned for the sake of filling the coffers.

Test match cricket is the real form of cricket as compared to the other two formats (T20I and ODI). Players really hone their skills when they play Test cricket. Sadly, SLC seems to have forgotten that important aspect of the game.

“The Sri Lanka team needs to develop. It is sometimes tough when you don’t play many Test matches to understand how you need to play it,” said Kirsten. “This is our third Test in a couple of months and I’ve seen the team developing, but we need to turn it into performance at some point. There’s a lot of talent around but you need to build the shape of the team, need to get 20 wickets consistently. Bowl teams out with seam, bowl teams out with spin and you need your top six batter that can guarantee big runs other than the first innings. That is still developing. Test match cricket is a very different game compared to the white ball and for us it’s important that we develop that Test match squad.”

Speaking further Kirsten said: “The challenge for the modern players especially in Sri Lanka is that we don’t play much Test matches. We have at least six lined up in the next six months or so. It’s great to get into the Test match game a little bit and then try to score runs, bat for a long period of time and have an influence on the game. Sonal (Dinusha) has done that a few times in the West Indies where under pressure he was able to make performances.”

“It’s a big step up between first-class and international level and I thought Sonal handled the pressure of international cricket in his four Test matches exceptionally well. He’s got good mental strength, courage and resilience and he is a good example for all other players. That step up you’ve got to be on your game mentally to manage it.”

“India did apply themselves in that first innings. Dev Padikkal played one of the better Test match innings I’ve seen. He didn’t play too aggressively but played within himself and batted for a long period. It was a good lesson for any Test match batsman how to go and make a big hundred.”