Sri Lanka vs England 2018, 1st Test – Dream11 Fantasy Tips

England has been quite poor in the longer format while travelling but the series in Sri Lanka could give them a relief. The oldest Test nation hasn’t won an away Test match in the last years. Though the island nation has been poor over the last 2-3 years in all the formats, they have exceeded expectations in extreme conditions. England will require a stellar effort from their players to defeat the hosts in this three-match Test series which kicks-off in Galle.

The series opener is marked as the final International game of Rangana Herath. The left-arm spinner aged 40, is the most prolific left-arm bowler in the history of Test cricket. Sri Lanka will be hoping to award the veteran a special farewell at the venue where he made his Test debut way back in 1999. Both Sri Lanka and England have a lot of factors to work on for picking up their playing XI.

Match Details:

The first Test match between Sri Lanka and England will begin on 6th November 2018 at the Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle. The match starts at 10:00 AM Local Time (4:30 AM GMT) (10:00 AM IST).

Recent Form:

Results of Sri Lanka’s last five Tests – W, W, W, D, L.

Results of England’s last five Tests – W, W, L, W, W.

Pitch Condition/Report:

The pitches in Sri Lanka have turned nightmare for the visiting sides especially for the non-Asian teams. The Galle track is often known for aiding for the spinners and it won’t be any different in the series opener. A track favouring Rangana Herath could be seen on Tuesday given the left-arm spinner will be playing his last match in Sri Lankan colours.

Squads:

Sri Lanka: Dinesh Chandimal(c), Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Roshen Silva, Dilruwan Perera, Rangana Herath, Pushpakumara, Akila Dananjaya, Suranga Lakmal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, Lakshan Sandakan, Niroshan Dickwella.

England: Joe Root(c), Keaton Jennings, Ollie Pope, Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Adil Rashid, James Anderson, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Joe Denly, Olly Stone, Stuart Broad, Jack Leach, Rory Burns, Ben Foakes.

Probable XI:

Sri Lanka: Dinesh Chandimal (c), Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Dilruwan Perera, Rangana Herath, Akila Dananjaya, Suranga Lakmal.

England: Joe Root (c), Keaton Jennings, Rory Burns, Moeen Ali, Jos Buttler (wk), Ben Foakes, Ben Stokes, Adil Rashid, Sam Curran, James Anderson, Olly Stone/Stuart Broad/Jack Leach.

Power Picks:

Dimuth Karunaratne nearly outscored South Africa during the two-match home Test series earlier this year. His consistency will be valuable for the Lankans at the top. Dhananjaya de Silva could produce returns with the bat and also with the ball if required for the team. Sam Curran’s all-round performances could make a difference to the game and the series.

Best Playing XI:

Jos Buttler, Joe Root, Rory Burns, Dinesh Chandimal, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dilruwan Perera, Moeen Ali, Rangana Herath, James Anderson, Akila Dananjaya.

Captain and Vice-Captain Selection:

Joe Root hasn’t been among big runs recently but has always scored runs whenever he played in Asia. His second innings century in the final Test against India brought an end to his century drought in the longer format. He and Sri Lanka’s Dimuth Karunaratne can be considered for a multiplier option. The home team’s spinners Rangana Herath and Dilruwan Perera can be an ideal option as a vice-captain. Perera can be an option as captain given his added ability with the bat.

Expert Advice:

Jonny Bairstow is ruled out of the first Test match resulting in a Test debut for Ben Foakes. Jos Buttler will play as a specialist batsman. Suranga Lakmal could be Sri Lanka’s lone pacer in this Test match.

Probable Winners:

Sri Lanka could well defeat the No.3 ranked England team as the conditions are in their favour.

*Disclaimer: This team is based on the understanding, analysis and instinct of the author. While selecting your team, consider the points mentioned and make your own decision.

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