Galle [Sri Lanka], August 19 (ANI): Sri Lanka head coach Gary Kirsten remained optimistic about his side's Test prospects despite their 165-run defeat to India in the opening Test at the Galle International Stadium, saying the team is "starting to build some shape" as it gets more opportunities in the longest format.
Sri Lanka were bowled out for 206 while chasing 372 on Day 5 of the Galle Test, handing India a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. However, Kirsten believes a busier Test schedule could help his players develop greater consistency and understand the demands of the format.
"It's sometimes tough when you don't play much Test cricket to understand how you need to play," Kirsten said at the post-match press conference, as per Cricinfo.
"This is our third Test in the space of a couple of months, and I can already see the team developing. And we're starting to build some shape into the team, but we need to turn it into a performance at some point. You need to be able to get 20 wickets consistently, bowl teams out with your seam, and be able to bowl teams out with spin as well. It's really important that we develop that Test match squad," he added.
Sri Lanka had entered the contest having played very little Test cricket in the previous year, with the Galle fixture being their first home Test in 14 months.
Kirsten identified the team's top-order batting as the biggest reason for the defeat, with Sri Lanka slipping to 90/5 in the first innings before recovering to 284 and then losing four early wickets in their second innings.
"I thought we did a brilliant job with the ball yesterday," Kirsten said, as per Cricinfo. "We got 10 wickets in just under 50 overs, which is an amazing effort. In fact, if we had taken one or two catches, we might have been chasing early 300s, which might have changed the complexion of the game."
"Where we probably lost the game was losing wickets up front in both innings. You can't afford that in Test cricket, especially when the opposition has hit 460-odd. India applied themselves really well in that first innings," he added.
India had posted 464 in their first innings, with Devdutt Padikkal scoring 167 and KL Rahul making 82. Sri Lanka's Sonal Dinusha hit a century in the first innings and followed it with 84 in the second, while captain Dhananjaya de Silva made 59.
Manav Suthar was the chief architect of India's victory, claiming four wickets in the first innings and six in the second to finish with match figures of 10/131 in only his second Test.
Kirsten, meanwhile, believes Sri Lanka's upcoming schedule can provide the consistency they need to develop as a Test side.
"I think the challenge for the modern players, especially in Sri Lanka, is that you don't play much Test cricket. At least now we've got another six to go within the next six months or so, so it's great to get into the Test match game a little bit and then to understand how to score runs and bat for long periods of time and have an influence on a game over a long period of time," said Kirsten.
Sri Lanka will next face India in the second Test in Colombo on August 23 before travelling to Pakistan and New Zealand later this year. They are also scheduled to host South Africa for a two-Test series early next year. (ANI)
'We need to turn it into a performance': Kirsten eyes Sri Lanka turnaround in Test despite defeat against India in Galle
