Cricket Betting Tips and Fantasy Cricket Match Predictions: Sri Lanka vs England 2021 - 2nd Test

The 2nd Test of the two-match series between England and Sri Lanka will be played at the Galle International Stadium, Galle in Sri Lanka.

LIVE - Sri Lanka vs England 2021 - 2nd Test

The first test match at Galle will be a game that Joe Root will long remember. Apart from reaching the 8,000-run milestone in test cricket and bringing up a century after more than a year, Joe Root broke several records en route to his brilliant 228-run hand in the first innings which set up the victory for England.

Sri Lanka were without their regular captain Dimuth Karunaratne who suffered a hairline fracture and stand-in skipper Dinesh Chandimal is expected to lead the home side in this match as well.

They would expect runs from the opening combination of Lahiru Thirimanne and Kusal Perera and from Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews in the middle order. Their spinners Wanindu Hasaranga, Dilruwan Perera and Lasith Embuldeniya looked threatening in the first match and only if the batsmen can provide the cushion of a few runs, they will be difficult to face for the Indian batsmen.

Dom Bess and Jack Leach picked up five-wicket hauls in the first match but they would be the first ones to accept that they did not bowl the best they could have.

Moeen Ali, having returned to the England squad after having tested negative for COVID-19, is expected to join the two in place of Mark Wood. James Anderson is expected to replace Stuart Broad as part of the rest and rotation policy.

With the bat, Joe Root and Daniel Lawrence are the best placed to score for England.

The last time England toured Sri Lanka for a test series, they won 3-0 and the team has a great chance of inflicting another clean sweep if they manage to reproduce their performance from the first test. Expect Sri Lanka to come lot harder in this game.

Let's have a look at the probable playing XI of both teams:

Sri Lanka - Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Perera, Oshada Fernando, Dinesh Chandimal (c), Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dilruwan Perera, Lasith Embuldeniya, Asitha Fernando

England - Zak Crawley, Dominic Sibley, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root (c), Daniel Lawrence, Jos Buttler (wk), Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Dominic Bess, Jack Leach, James Anderson