linkSangakkara seeks No. 2 Test spot as Sri Lanka take on West Indies in 3-match Test series
Sri Lankan Skipper Kumar Sangakkara is looking forward to improve his side’s Test rankings when the Lankan’s take on the West Indies in a three-match home Test series which begins on Monday.
This will be Sri Lanka’s first series without their match-winning spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, but the skipper said that every member of the team has to step up and take responsibility.
"We have a varied bowling attack and each bowler needs to shoulder some of the responsibility for replacing the great man," Sangakkara said ahead of the first Test in Galle.
Sri Lanka’s spin wizard Muralitharan quit Test cricket in July earlier this year with an impressive world-record 800 Test wickets. The veteran spinner will retire from one-day cricket as well after next year’s World Cup.
Sangakkara is hopeful that his men will use the Test series against the relatively inexperienced West Indies side to climb up the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test ranking’s table. The Lankans currently occupy third spot in the Reliance Mobile ICC Test Rankings behind India and South Africa, and are eager to climb higher with a series win against the visiting West Indies.
"We need to refocus because this tour is an important stepping stone. We want to win the Test series and we want to improve our value as a Test side," said the home skipper.
Skipper Sammy and coach Gibbo will not let this happen...right?