Spin-friendly Galle favors the home team, but New Zealand has done well in these contests. Sri Lanka last won a series against the Black Caps in 2009. The last two series in Sri Lanka in 2012 and 2019 ended 1-1.
New Zealand has retired Sri Lanka great Rangana Herath on its staff to help its spinners, but the weather might be a bigger influence. The forecast across the test is not good.
The visitors will be used to that. Rain and a soggy outfield washed out all five days of New Zealand’s scheduled one-off test against Afghanistan last week in Greater Noida, India. That was also to be New Zealand’s warmup for this series.
“Disappointing, no doubt, but we cannot control the weather,” New Zealand captain Tim Southee said. “It would have been nice to have a test match against an ever improving side. However, we have had some good training and have spent time together both in India and in Galle.”
While New Zealand hasn’t played a test since March, it won’t be cold for long.
“Eight test matches between now and December is lot of cricket. We are excited,” Southee said. “We are ranked three in the World Test Championship and it’s an opportunity for us to get some points and move forward.”
He has another personal milestone in sight, too. Southee needs 20 more wickets to become the second New Zealander to take 400 in tests after Richard Hadlee’s 431.
“I have played for a long time and when you do that you come closer to these milestones,” said Southee, who has 100 caps. “We have a lot of tours ahead. Especially in this part of the world. Every game you are going out to do your role and take wickets for the side. It will be nice if I can achieve those milestones. But the focus is on winning games.”