The Test series scoreline of 2-0 in favour of South Africa might suggest a walk in the park for the hosts, but in reality, they were made to sweat bullets. Historically, Sri Lankan bowlers have often been cannon fodder on South African soil, where the opposition batters bide their time before cashing in. However, this time, the visitors turned the tables, claiming 15 wickets in Durban and all 20 in Port Elizabeth. That’s a feather in the cap for Sri Lanka’s bowling unit, proving their ability to take all wickets – a cornerstone for success in Test cricket. But, alas, the batters let the side down, and therein lay the rub.
The decisive factor in the series was South Africa’s ability to convert starts into big scores. Four of their batters reached triple figures, while not a single Sri Lankan managed to breach the magical 100-run mark. Scoring centuries in South Africa has always been like climbing Everest for Sri Lankan batters. Only five Sri Lankans have achieved this feat, and even legends like Aravinda de Silva, Marvan Atapattu, and Mahela Jayawardene fell short on these fast and bouncy wickets. Curiously, Thilan Samaraweera stands out with two centuries here, both in back-to-back Tests – a masterclass in patience and temperament.
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Samaraweera’s success was built on leaving deliveries outside the off-stump and weathering the storm early on. Like a fisherman enduring rough seas before reeling in the big catch, he bided his time, taking the sting out of the bowlers. South Africa demands a bit of luck early in the innings, but once that storm is navigated, throwing away your wicket is simply unforgivable.
This is precisely where many Sri Lankans tripped over their own feet. Dimuth Karunaratne fell to Kagiso Rabada’s venomous first spells in three out of four innings. While one might not point the finger directly at him, others like Dinesh Chandimal and Pathum Nissanka frittered away promising starts when they were in sight of a hundred.
Chandimal’s second-innings effort in Durban was a testament to resilience. After being dismissed for a duck in the first innings, where Sri Lanka crumbled for their lowest-ever Test score of 42, he played with grit, scoring 83 in a five-hour vigil. It was a throwback to the kind of old-school Test match batting Sri Lanka desperately needed. Since Kumar Sangakkara hung up his boots, the No. 3 spot has been a poisoned chalice, with no one able to make it their own. Chandimal, however, has shown promise, topping Sri Lanka’s run charts in the series.
Durban holds special significance for Chandimal, as it was the venue of his Test debut—a memorable game where Sri Lanka notched their first-ever win in South Africa. With half-centuries in both innings of that match, Chandimal made an impression that still lingers. Scoring a century there 14 years later would have been the cherry on top of his legacy. But cricket, like life, is a game of “what-ifs.” Attempting a flick off Gerald Coetzee, Chandimal ended up giving a return catch – a moment that will haunt him as a missed opportunity.
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If Chandimal’s dismissal was a setback, Nissanka’s was downright criminal. The young opener had been riding a wave of confidence, especially after his match-winning knock in England earlier this year, ending a decade-long drought for Sri Lanka in English conditions. In Port Elizabeth, Nissanka looked the part, taking South Africa’s quicks to task.
The Proteas pacers, known for their fiery opening spells, tend to lose their bite as the day wears on, providing batters with an opportunity to capitalize. Nissanka had done the hard yards, weathering the early storm, and was poised to take Sri Lanka to a commanding first-innings total. Then, inexplicably, he attempted to charge Keshav Maharaj, as if chasing a six to win the World Cup. The result? He was clean-bowled, leaving teammates, coaches, and fans in utter disbelief.
Head Coach Sanath Jayasuriya’s reported 48-hour silent treatment spoke volumes. Nissanka, just 11 runs shy of a century, had not only thrown away a personal milestone but also squandered a golden chance for Sri Lanka to put their noses ahead in the contest. A century from him could have paved the way for a 100-run lead—a game-changing prospect on South African soil.
As the dust settles, this series will go down as a classic case of “what could have been” for Sri Lanka. The bowlers had done their job, rattling the South African batters and giving the team a fighting chance. But cricket, as the saying goes, is a game of partnerships – and the batters failed to hold up their end of the bargain.
In the end, the 2-0 scoreline may look decisive, but it tells only half the story. For Sri Lanka, it’s back to the drawing board. The ingredients for success are there, but as this series showed, the recipe remains incomplete. South Africa offered a steep learning curve, and while the team showed flashes of brilliance, they left with more questions than answers. Above all, they left with the bitter taste of missed opportunities.
