Sri Lanka not looking too far ahead: Dhananjaya de Silva on WTC final prospects

Sri Lanka Test captain Dhananjaya de Silva is not thinking about the WTC final despite the team’s rapid rise in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings.

Following a stellar 2-0 series victory over New Zealand, Sri Lanka has climbed to third place in the WTC 2023-25 table, sitting just behind Australia and India. However, de Silva is cautious, focusing on immediate goals rather than the prospect of reaching the WTC final next year.

Before any thoughts turn to the WTC final, Sri Lanka faces a crucial tour to South Africa in November-December. Following that, they will host Australia for two Tests, concluding their WTC campaign with four crucial matches.

“We’re only looking at it from one match to another. If you look too far ahead you can miss out on what’s immediately important,” de Silva emphasized. “It’s what I always tell the young players as well. If you do what’s required from one match to another, then what needs to happen in the points table will take care of itself.”

Sri Lanka’s rise in the rankings is due in part to their dominant recent form. They secured their third consecutive Test victory earlier this month with a hard-fought win against England at The Oval, followed by comprehensive performances against New Zealand. The first Test against New Zealand was won by 63 runs, and the second by an innings and 154 runs, showcasing Sri Lanka’s growing confidence and consistency.

De Silva expressed pride in his team’s progress, noting their ascent to 5th in the ICC Test rankings. “I have been part of the side for six years, and we’ve always wanted to come up in the rankings, but we tried and failed. We just couldn’t get the right team makeup, but we have got it right now,” the captain said. “And now we also have combinations that can work on any surface, both at home and overseas.”

The second Test against New Zealand saw Sri Lanka pile on 602/5 in their first innings before de Silva declared with Kamindu Mendis on 182. While some might have expected the young batter to be allowed to complete his double century, de Silva stood by his decision to declare.

“More than Kamindu’s double hundred, I wanted Kusal Mendis to get a hundred because he hadn’t scored one in quite some time. But once we got to that point in the match, I think that was the best decision to take,” de Silva explained. Kamindu, too, was understanding, acknowledging that the timing of the declaration was crucial in securing victory.

“We had put a big total on the board. Even at lunch, I was on 136. So the plan was to score a little bit more and then put them in to bat. I think the decision was taken at the right time because we all know that batting in the last hour at Galle is quite difficult,” Kamindu said. “It’s because of that decision that we were able to bowl them out the following morning.”

With four Tests remaining in the WTC cycle, Sri Lanka has a real chance to push for a place in the final. However, Dhananjaya de Silva is wisely choosing to focus on each match as it comes, ensuring that Sri Lanka’s current momentum is not derailed by looking too far ahead.