Sri Lanka’s captain Kusal Mendis (AP Photo)
With the hosts potentially opting for a greener surface to bring their fast bowlers into the contest, Mendis has backed his senior batters to rise to the challenge, insisting their experience of playing in England will hold them in good stead. Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis is confident his experienced batting line-up has the technique and temperament to counter Pakistan’s expected pace-friendly conditions as the visitors prepare for the opening Test in Rawalpindi on Monday.
The 31-year-old admitted that leading the side in the longest format was something he was particularly looking forward to, despite the challenges of an extended stay in Pakistan.
However, he said the squad had found ways to keep itself occupied and was now fully focused on switching gears for Test cricket. I’m very happy to captain in Test cricket,” he said. The fast-bowling attack is doing well,” Mendis said. The Sri Lankan captain praised the security arrangements and said the players had been comfortable with the local food, which he felt was similar to the cuisine back home.
The Sri Lankan skipper believes the presence of experienced campaigners such as Dinesh Chandimal and Dhananjaya de Silva, alongside himself, gives the team the necessary confidence to negotiate challenging conditions away from home. The Rawalpindi Test will mark Mendis’ first assignment as Sri Lanka’s Test captain after he took over the leadership from Dhananjaya de Silva in early October. “Honestly, compared to ODIs and T20s, Test cricket is very different. I think everyone mostly likes to play Test cricket. Me as well. “We have a very balanced side, both with the bowling and batting unit. I think we’ve done really well in the past couple of tours in the bowling side, and same in one-day cricket.