Inspired by India’s bowlers, Sri Lanka target maiden Test victory in Australia

The bowling coach Rumesh Ratnayake believes this is Sri Lanka's best chance at making history.

The touring Sri Lankan cricket team is taking inspiration from India’s recent Test series win in Australia as it braces to play the hosts in the first day-night Test in Brisbane this week, with bowling coach Rumesh Ratnayake revealing that the team closely followed the approach that Virat Kohli’s top-ranked outfit adopted to seal the country’s first ever victory in the country.

In particular, said Ratnayake, Sri Lanka studied how India’s bowlers operated in the four-Test series. (ALSO READ: India’s Test series triumph potentially a huge step towards world domination)

“It’s one of the major things we looked at, the areas which they had bowled,” he told reporters at the Gabba on Tuesday. “It’s just making the bowlers believe that whatever their bowlers can do and the other teams can do, we also can do. That belief is something we are trying to work on at the moment. (ALSO READ: Justin Langer calls on batsmen to step up against Sri Lanka)

“In batting and bowling, and even in the fielding, the Indians showed the world every place they go to is a home-from-home. I believe we can take that from the Indians. We came here with the motto to win a Test match – we are going to New Zealand, Australia and South Africa so we would love to win a Test match in a country and Australia is one of them.”

In six tours to Australia dating back to 1988, no Sri Lankan team has managed to win a Test. Their record stands at 11 losses and two draws.

Though Australia have reshuffled their squad for this series, Ratnayake – who in his only Test in Australia claimed eight wickets in 1989 – was confident of Sri Lanka achieving history. (ALSO READ: Australia call up in-form Patterson for Sri Lanka Tests)

“I think it is certainly one of the better chances,” he said. “A wounded Australia is a bit of a mystery in any sport really. We understand that and we know that when they are wounded they will be at their best.”

With Nuwan Pradeep out of the tour with injury, Ratnayake has hopes from Lahiru Kumara, despite the quick being 14 Test matches old.

“He’s an exuberant young boy,” he said. “He’s quick in our terms and might be quick in your terms also, because he sometimes touches 148kph, but he hits it at a pace of 140 on a more regular basis. He’s young, he needs to learn a bit more, but when he’s on fire it’s some of the best spells I’ve seen out of Sri Lanka for a long time, especially in West Indies.”