After a first series loss to India at home, Tim Paine’s Australia will look to finish the home summer on a high against the visiting Sri Lankans. The day/night Test in Brisbane will be the first such game for Sri Lanka in Australia and the relative lack of experience at playing floodlit Tests could hand the advantage to the hosts.
Australia are yet to lose a day/night Test at home, but that’s about the only advantage they hold over their opponents. Enduring a slump in the longest format, Australia have lost three of their last five and five of their last eight, with one Test win since April 2018.
Sri Lanka have fared no better, though, losing four of their last five Tests, winning none. Both teams will look to turn their fortunes around and Australia, despite playing without Steve Smith and David Warner, will hold the advantage.
There have been changes aplenty for the hosts. Joe Burns, Matt Renshaw, Jhye Richardson, Will Pucovski and
Kurtis Patterson have found places in the squad, the last three getting their maiden call-ups while Aaron Finch and the Marsh brothers have been dropped.
Marcus Harris, Usman Khawaja and Travis Head got half-centuries in the Tests against India and they are expected to shoulder the bulk of the responsibility among batsmen as will the troika of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon with the ball even as Josh Hazlewood misses out due to injury.
Sri Lanka have had their injury issues, too. Nuwan Pradeep has been ruled out with a hamstring injury and Kusal Mendis sustained a blow to his right hand during the visitors’ only practice match, against Cricket Australia XI.
But Sri Lanka have reinforcements to cover for Pradeep: Suranga Lakmal, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara and Dushmantha Chameera form a four-pronged attack while Dilruwan Perera takes over from the now-retired Rangana Herath as Sri Lanka’s lead spinner.
Captain Dinesh Chandimal and Dimuth Karunaratne are the two most experienced batsmen, followed by the talented Mendis. The likes of Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Perera, Lahiru Thirimanne and Roshen Silva will bat around him.
