We're taking shape as Test team, but need to turn it into a performance: Gary Kirsten - Rediff

Sri Lankas head coach Gary Kirsten reflects on the teams progress and challenges in Test cricket following their recent loss to India, highlighting player development and upcoming opportunities.IMAGE: Sri Lanka have not won a Test match at the Galle International Stadium since beating New Zealand in September 2024. Photograph: Sri Lanka Cricket/XKey PointsHead coach Gary Kirsten is pleased with Sri Lankas developing approach to Test cricket despite recent losses.The team showed significant fight, taking the first Test against India to the fifth day after a poor start.Kirsten lauded young batter Sonal Dinusha for his impressive centuries and Test match mindset.Key players Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, and Dinesh Chandimal are injured and unavailable for the next Test.Injuries create opportunities for young, high-performing first-class players to join the national squad.Despite going down to India in the first Test in Galle, head coach Gary Kirsten was pleased to see Sri Lankan players embracing the challenges that the red-ball format offers.The 165-run defeat to India was Sri Lankas second defeat in three Tests after going down to the West Indies by an innings and 217 runs at North Sound, Antigua in June.Im particularly excited by being involved with Sri Lankan cricket. I think there are some great players here, but the team still needs to develop. It is sometimes tough when you dont play Test match cricket to understand how you need to play that, Kirsten said in the post-match press conference.This is now our third Test match in the space of a couple of months and I can already see the team developing and were starting to build some shape into the team.But we need to be able to turn it into a performance at some point. But as I said, were kind of building that and developing that as best we can, he added. Sri Lankas Resilience in Test Match CricketKirsten was happy to see the fight Sri Lanka offered despite getting reduced to 99 for five in the initial part of their first innings, and then dragged the match to the fifth and final day.From being 99 for 5 at the beginning of the third day, to then taking the Test match into the afternoon of the fifth day was particularly pleasing. There was a bit of fight and that we were keen to try and stay in the Test match.We still believed even this (Wednesday) morning that we could make something happen, either win the Test match or certainly draw it. So, I was really pleased with the energy and the attitude of the team around that.But I think if you look at the Test match, we battled with the bat, especially in our top order, in both innings and that probably cost us, he added. • From 1932 to 600 Tests: Indias Remarkable Test EvolutionSonal Dinushas Promising PerformanceKirsten lauded young batter Sonal Dinusha, who made a 100 and 84 across the Galle Test.His love for Test cricket and playing that way is particularly pleasing to me to watch and we certainly would encourage, you know, all our players to have that Test match mindset and attitude.I think the challenge for the modern players, especially in Sri Lanka, is you dont play much Test cricket. At least now, weve got another six matches to go within the next six months or so.So its 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, he said.Injury Concerns and New OpportunitiesHowever, Kirstens update on injured Sri Lankan players did not offer an upbeat scenario to the hosts ahead of the second Test.Kusal Mendis has got a proper hamstring injury. Hes not going to be available for a while. Pathum Nissanka as well and Dinesh (Chandimal) are also not available for the next Test.So, were missing a few guys from that perspective but it creates a great opportunity for young players to come in and stake their claim. In fact, players that have got really good first-class records in this country. So its a good opportunity for them, he noted. • India Win 1st Test: Where Do They Stand In WTC Race?Praising Indias Devdutt PadikkalFormer India head coach Kirsten also lauded Devdutt Padikkal for playing a proper Test match innings, handing advantage to India.I think India did really well in their first innings. Devdutt Padikkal played one of the better Test match innings that Ive seen. He didnt play too aggressively, but just played within himself and just batted for a long period and was a good lesson for any Test match batter, he noted.