The Sri Lanka cricket team will start their one-month-long tour when they meet New Zealand in their first Test of the two-match series which will commence today at Hagley Oval grounds at Christchurch.

Sri Lanka have won only two of their 19 Tests in New Zealand. Since their last win in 2006, they have lost five of their six Tests in the country. If Sri Lanka win the series 2-0, they give themselves a chance of making it into the World Test Championship final. But even then, India would have won or drawn their last Test against Australia for Sri Lanka to be in contention.

New Zealand recorded a thrilling one-run win against England in their last Test having more confidence while on the other hand, Sri Lanka is expected to play the Test after eight months with a lack of Test match experience and they have continued to play white ball format regularly. New Zealand have not won a single series in this World Test Championship. The last time they completed a Test series victory at home was in early 2021. They haven’t any pressure but Sri Lanka is in a must-win situation even though it’s a difficult task as New Zealand has a home advantage.

It may come down to how Sri Lanka batters fare against New Zealand’s seamers in the first innings and both Sri Lanka and New Zealand are looking to do better in the first innings to have the early advantage.

The one and only practice game of the tour was played on the last 4-5 but the second day washed out and not a single ball was bowled. Two top-order batters Kusal Mendis and Oshada Fernando scored 95 and 78 respectively while skipper Dimuth Karunaratne and two former skippers Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal are expected to come back with experience and all those are plus points for the Sri Lanka team.

This two Test match series is going to be very crucial. If Sri Lanka wins both matches, they have a chance to qualify for the World Test Championship final in 2023. On the other hand, the two most experienced Sri Lankan batsmen, Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal, face their individual millstones in this series. Sri Lanka’s former captain Dinesh Chandimal who played really well during the last two Test series against Australia and Pakistan at Galle needs only 64 more runs to complete 5000 runs in Test matches. If he manages to cross the milestone in the upcoming tour of New Zealand, he will become the 11th Sri Lankan batsman to achieve the 5000 Test run mark in the history of Sri Lankan Test cricket. Dinesh Chandimal has played 70 Test matches and scored 4936 runs with 13 hundreds.

When the teams first met at Hagley Oval, it is a venue at which New Zealand have won twice. In 2014 New Zealand’s quicks tore through Sri Lanka to dismiss them for 138, after New Zealand had plundered 441 at a run rate of over five. In 2018 Trent Boult and Tim Southee two seamers skittled Sri Lanka for 104 before Tom Latham and Henry Nicholls hit big hundreds and establishing a lead of 659 in the second innings.

This time no Trent Boult but Southee with an additional responsibility with a leadership has a big responsibility to strike again and Sri Lanka top order have to face a difficult task with their new bowling line up. Skipper Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, and probably Matt Henry and Blair Tickner are expected to play today as pacemen. Sri Lanka also looking to play three pacemen two Fernando’s Vishwa the left arm paceman and right arm paceman Asitha along with a product of Matara Servatius Kasun Rajitha will support by key leg spinner Prabath Jayasuriya. Niroshan Dickwella the stylish wicket-keeper most probably get another chance to do his duty behind the stumps and this is going to be a very vital game for Dickwella as Nishan Madushka is waiting on the bench.

The Sri Lanka cricket team was scheduled to do their final training session yesterday evening and they were to announce the final eleven after observing the wicket.

The New Zealand reports stated that Christchurch surface is likely to start off green, as they often do at this venue. Towards the end of the match, however, it is likely to flatten out. There is some rain forecast for the first two days. Sri Lankan skipper Dimuth Karunaratne earlier said the climate is little bit hot than the previous times. New Zealand’s attack is perhaps not what it was three years ago, but at Hagley Oval, this remains a daunting task. New Zealand have not won a single series in this World Test Championship. The last time they completed a Test series victory at home was in early 2021. The experienced top order batter former skipper Kane Williamson who scored a fine century at their last winning game against England is in terrific form while he has good records against Sri Lanka. Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne has an idea to get an early wicket of Williamson and all plans depend on today’s surface of the wicket and bowlers’ skills on this track. Devon Conway, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell are capable players to build up long innings and Sri Lanka bowlers have to face a big challenge.

The two teams

New Zealand (probable): 1 Tom Latham, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Henry Nicholls, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Tom Blundell (wk), 7 Michael Bracewell, 8 Tim Southee (capt), 9 Matt Henry, 10 Neil Wagner, 11 Blair Tickner.

Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Oshada Fernando, 2 Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Angelo Mathew, 5 Dinesh Chandimal, 6 Dhananjaya de Silva, 7 Niroshan Dickwella, 8 Vishwa Fernando, 9 Kasun Rajitha, 10 Prabath Jayasuriya, 11 Asitha Fernando.