Rangana Herath foresees a better Test future for Sri Lanka

Herath surpassed Wasim Akram's tally of Test wickets against Bangladesh. (AFP)

Veteran Sri Lankan left-arm spinner Rangana Herath over the years have been through various thick and thins with the Sri Lankan Test outfit. In recent times, while the Test series win against Pakistan showed the character of the team, their loss against India at home showed their vulnerable side. Herath being the senior pro was a part of the team in both the series and was a witness to their contrasting style of cricket being played. 

He has come out praising the team once again after their victory in the second Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka. The first Test match came under a lot of criticism after ICC raised criticism against the Chittagong pitch where the bowlers hardly had any respite. 

Sri Lanka won the second Test match by 215 runs as Rangana Herath bowled a brilliant spell of 4 for 49 to help Sri Lanka win the Test match and the series. In the process he also became the highest wicket-taking left-arm bowler, surpassing the great Wasim Akram (415). After the triumph, Herath expressed happiness and said that he now foresees a better future for the Lankan Test side. 

“When Sanga and Mahela left the team, it was a lot of runs [that left as well]. Now, for the last three years later we are rebuilding the side… but now I can see the proper team with youth and experience, especially Roshen, Dananjaya and Kusal Mendis,” Cribuzz quoted Herath saying.

“Not only this one, even when we played in Dubai we won 2-0 against Pakistan. Had a bad series in India. So, all in all, I feel we have started another journey with the Test team and hopefully we can continue with that,” Herath added.

Akila Dananjaya was the other Sri Lankan spinner who tormented the Bangladesh batsmen in the second innings particularly. He picked up 3 for  20 in the first innings and followed it up with a fifer in the second innings to add more misery to the Sri Lankan batting line up.

Commentating on young Akhila Dananjaya's, the left-armer added, “It’s good for Sri Lanka cricket. I would like to congratulate him (Dananjaya) for taking eight wickets on debut. I have seen him a lot even when he was starting, he played for Sri Lanka at the age of 18 in the 2012 World Cup. So I can see a better and bigger future in him.”

 
 

By Anshuman Roy - 11 Feb, 2018

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