Australia promised trial by Sri Lankan spin in first Test in Galle

Trial by spin. That was the likely scenario for the Australian men’s Test team, as posed by Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne. Softly spoken and not inclined to swagger, the content of the message rather than the delivery held a challenge for Australia, with the likelihood that Sri Lanka will take four spin options into the first Test at Galle.

“Last time we had two fast bowlers, we did not use one,” said Karunaratne, referring to last year’s Test against West Indies when his quicks Suranga Lakmal and Dushantha Chameera bowled 14 overs between them across two innings. Lakmal was not required at all in the second dig.

This time around, Karunaratne will likely call on his left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya, off-spinner Ramesh Mendis, and one of left-arm orthodox Praveen Jayawickrama or leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay as his specialist options to join one fast bowler. Then there will be the off-spin of Dhananjaya de Silva who will bat in the middle order.

It’s a daunting prospect, on a pitch that one day out from the match already looks dry, given that Australia’s most recent memory of Galle involves being rolled over by spin in 2016. Admittedly that match came during a period when Australia in Asia was a comedy procession. Usman Khawaja was dismissed twice in the same day. The match was over before lunch on day three. Mitchell Starc took 11 wickets in a team that couldn’t lay a glove.

These days, especially after a successful tour of Pakistan in March and April, the Australians will feel more competent against the turning ball. Marnus Labuschagne has practised assiduously against it. Steve Smith has shown that ability since touring India in 2013. David Warner has the experience to find a way. Alex Carey has fast feet