Shaky Mathews under pressure

NEW DELHI: After registering a series win (2-0) over Pakistan in the UAE, a fighting show was expected from Dinesh Chandimal’s Sri Lanka against a team which ‘tour-washed’ them (9-0) earlier this year.

While Suranga Lakmal & Co. did restrict the Virat Kohli-led Indian cricket team in the first innings of Kolkata Test, things soon got back to the old rut with the Lankans barely managing to escape a humiliating defeat at Eden Gardens after being in the game for three-and-a-half days.

In the second Test, after winning the toss on a good Nagpur track, Sri Lanka were bundled out for 205, and Kohli’s fifth double hundred added insult to injury. The visitors lost the Test by an innings and 239 runs.

While the lack of big partnerships has hurt Sri Lanka, it is the form of their most senior batsman, Angelo Mathews, that has troubled them the most.

The former captain hasn’t scored a Test hundred since August 2015, and has since averaged 27.80 across 36 innings.

In this series, Mathews has scored just 84 runs at 21.00. His dismissal in the second innings of Nagpur Test raised questions about his focus.

On Thursday, Sri Lanka were back training without their most experienced spinner, while their former captain showed no signs of intent to lead a fightback.

Mathews got throw-downs from batting coach Thilan Samaraweera and then bowled, even though it’s unlikely he will bowlin the final Test.

Injuries over the last 12 months have affected the allround er. Mathews suffered a torn hamstring during the South Africa tour in January and didn’t play international cricket until June. He was then ruled out of the two-Test series against Pakistan due to a calf strain. He had also missed a triseries in Zimbabwe due to ‘multiple leg injuries’.