New Zealand’s batting woes reached a new low in the second Test against Sri Lanka, as they crumbled to a paltry 88 all out in response to the hosts’ massive total of 602/5. The match, held in Galle, highlighted severe deficiencies in both New Zealand’s batting and bowling departments, raising concerns ahead of their upcoming Test series against India.
Sri Lankan spinner Prabath Jayasuriya was the star of the day, claiming an impressive 6-42. Jayasuriya, who now has nine five-wicket hauls in Test cricket, exploited the conditions to perfection as New Zealand’s batting lineup faltered. Resuming their innings at 22-2, the Kiwis failed to put up any substantial resistance, with their highest partnership being a mere 20 runs between Mitchell Santner and William O’Rourke.
Mitchell Santner was the only New Zealand batsman to offer some fight, top-scoring with 29. However, his efforts were not enough to salvage the innings, as the rest of the batting lineup struggled to cope with Sri Lanka’s relentless spin attack. The collapse served as a significant wake-up call for Tim Southee’s side as they look to address their weaknesses before facing India in their next Test series.
This is really very concerning for Kiwis as they will be facing the strong Indian side in few weeks.
