'We wanted to play a few matches, but that's what we get' - Dhananjaya de Silva rues on lack of gametime ahead of first Test against England

In the past two years, Sri Lanka have played just nine Tests and none after March 2024. They enter the England tour with a lack of red-ball game time and face the mighty English, who have already played 21 matches in the same time. Before the first Test at Manchester on August 21, the visitors played a warm-up game against an inexperienced England Lions team and lost by seven wickets.

Ahead of the curtain raiser, Sri Lanka captain, Dhananjaya de Silva, has complained of not getting to play more warm-up games ahead of a crucial series. In the warm-up game, eight players set to play the first Test featured, and the Lankans were bowled out for 139 on Day 1. The only respite was seeing Milan Rathnayake, set to make his debut in the first Test, chipping in with one wicket in both innings against the Lions.

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"The conditions are quite different to Asian countries. We wanted to play a few matches, but that's what we get. We didn't go with the full-strength [team]. We have tried out a few players as well. The result didn't go our way, but we had the preparation, I think. It'll work in this match,” said De Silva as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

"I have no idea about it [on not getting a second warm-up game]. Maybe because we are playing a three-match series after a long time; maybe that's the reason,” he added.

Speaking of Dhananjaya’s captaincy, under him, Sri Lanka managed to whitewash India by 3-0 in the recently concluded ODI series. Sri Lanka’s last tour to England was in 2016, where the all-rounder made his debut, and he has added responsibility on his shoulders this time around. In retrospect, he has the experience of Angelo Matthews, Dinesh Chandimal, and Dimuth Karunarathne for the impending assignment.

Sri Lanka Playing XI for first Test vs England: