3 biggest takeaways from Sri Lanka’s 2024 Test series in England
After losing the first two matches of the series, the Sri Lankan bowlers staged a remarkable comeback in the final game against England. Pathum Nissanka led the visitors to victory with a superb century, as the series concluded with a scoreline of 2-1 in favor of England.
The hosts gained a 62-run lead in the first innings but their batting lineup collapsed in the second innings, crumbling from 35/1 to 82/7 and they were eventually bowled out for 156. This left Sri Lanka with a target of 219 runs.
Pathum Nissanka played a match-winning innings, remaining unbeaten on 127 off 124 balls. With 13 boundaries and two sixes to his name, he led the visitors to a victory by eight wickets.
Despite this loss, the series went in favor of the hosts, with Joe Root leading England to a five-wicket win in the first match and a commanding 190-run victory in the second.
We look at the three biggest takeaways from Sri Lanka’s 2024 Test series in England.
#1 Promising signs from Sri Lanka’s young talent
Sri Lanka's squad blended youth and experience and the younger players certainly made their mark. Opener Pathum Nissanka, who was left out of the first match, significantly impacted the next two games by scoring 217 runs across four innings, including a crucial century in the fourth innings at The Oval, London.
Rising star Kamindu Mendis had a solid series with the bat. The left-handed batter scored 267 runs in five innings, managing two fifties and a century. He played a key role in stabilizing the Sri Lankan batting lineup throughout the series.
Asitha Fernando was outstanding, finishing as the leading wicket-taker of the series with 17 scalps. The right-arm pacer displayed signs of becoming one of Sri Lanka’s future stars. Meanwhile, in his debut series, Milan Rathnayake impressed by taking 10 wickets and scoring 151 runs, including one half-century.
#2 A decent performance from England's bowlers in their first full series without James Anderson
This was England’s first full series without the legendary pacer James Anderson, who retired in July 2024 following the first match of the three-game series against the West Indies.
The hosts won the series against Sri Lanka through a collective bowling effort, with senior player Chris Woakes leading the charge with 13 wickets across three matches.
Gus Atkinson, who had an impressive debut series against the West Indies with 22 wickets in three games, continued his solid form, taking 12 wickets in the series against Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, Olly Stone, who was making his return to the national team after three years, claimed seven wickets in two games while 20-year-old Josh Hull made his debut in the final game and took three wickets.
Despite Mark Wood being sidelined due to injury after the first match and the absence of Ben Stokes, England's pacers performed admirably in their first series without James Anderson.
#3 England’s overreliance on Joe Root
Joe Root was instrumental in both of England’s victories and their single defeat during the series. In the first match, he played a crucial role in chasing down 205, remaining unbeaten on 62 to secure a five-wicket win for England.
In the second Test, Root scored hundreds in both innings, setting a new record as England’s all-time leading century-maker with 34 and laying the foundation for a 190-run triumph.
However, Root faced a rare dip in form in the third game, scoring only 13 and 12 across two innings, which contributed to England’s batting collapse in their second innings.
While Root was a stabilizing force in the earlier matches, his dismissal in the final game triggered a collapse for England, highlighting the team's overreliance on him, particularly in the absence of Ben Stokes.