India overcome defiant SA for crushing win ..

Sri Lanka’s major concern ahead of the two Test series against New Zealand starting at Dunedin on Thursday is whether the young batsmen could step into the big boots and show what they are really capable of.

Over the past three years Sri Lanka have lost top batters of the calibre of Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara and the youngsters who have been picked in their place have a big task ahead of them in trying to fill their shoes.

For players like Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Mendis, Udara Jayasundera, Kithuruwan Vithanage and Kusal Perera the doors have been opened to consolidate a permanent place in the Lankan batting line-up for the next decade or so and the current tour to New Zealand gives them the ideal opportunity to do so.

“I like to see our young batsmen step into the big boots and show some character and what they really are capable of by getting runs in each of the two Test matches ahead of us. We are preparing to the best of our ability with the resources available,” said interim head coach Jerome Jayaratne.

In the only three-day warm-up game ahead of the first Test, four batsmen managed to score fifties notably opener Dimuth Karunaratne (93), Udara Jayasundera (63), Kithuruwan Vithanage (61) and skipper Angelo Mathews (54 n.o.) in Sri Lanka’s totals of 193 and 226-6

“Though we could have performed better, however we at least got some match practice in the middle from what I believe the players would have benefitted. What really matters is when the real competition begins next Thursday,” Jayaratne said.

The team arrived in Dunedin on Sunday the day after the three-day game at Queenstown and was greeted by conditions, quite understandably quite different to that at home.

“It is freezing cold here being the closest point to the South pole. We are aware of the hurdles and obstacles we would face but we are doing our best to get used to the conditions,” said Jayaratne.

“Giving excuses at the end would not change anything we need to weather the storm and whatever else which stands in our way.”

The back injury to their prime fast bowler Dhammika Prasad is the biggest blow for Sri Lanka going into the Test series.

“Dhammika has been our premier fast bowler in recent times so by no means his injury dents our pace attack. However it gives another bowler an opportunity to stand up and see what he is capable of at the highest level,” said Jayaratne.

“(Nuwan) Pradeep and Dushmantha (Chameera) also included with (Suranga) Lakmal’s match experience he probably might play the lead role during the Test matches,” he said.

Prasad suffered the injury during the three-day practice match and Jayaratne said that he is returning home which means he will miss the Test series.

Uncapped 24-year-old left-arm seamer Vishwa Fernando has been named as Prasad’s replacement. Prasad is Sri Lanka’s leading Test bowler for the 2015 calendar year with 41 wickets from 9 matches at an average of 24.95, eight more than left-arm spinner Rangana Herath.