Australia's Historic Test Series Win in Sri Lanka Under Steve Smith: A 14-Year Wait Ends
Australia ended a 14-year wait by winning a Test series in Sri Lanka under Steve Smith's captaincy, showcasing resilience and skill in challenging conditions.
Hemanth
Published Feb 9, 2025, 1:26 pm IST
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This is undoubtedly one of those historic wins, one that Australia will never forget in the history. For after a gap of 14 long years, Steve Smith led them to a Test series victory in Sri Lanka, marking the end of the much-talked-about drought, while show of resilience and skill in the squad against the challenges of the subcontinent, where their test was relatively a hard-fought one.
Squad for the Series :
| Sri Lanka | Australia |
|---|---|
| Dhananjaya de Silva (c) | Steve Smith (c) |
| Dinesh Chandimal (wk) | Travis Head (vc) |
| Sonal Dinusha | Sean Abbott |
| Asitha Fernando | Scott Boland |
| Oshada Fernando | Alex Carey (wk) |
| Vishwa Fernando | Cooper Connolly |
| Prabath Jayasuriya | Josh Inglis (wk) |
| Dimuth Karunaratne | Usman Khawaja |
| Lahiru Kumara | Sam Konstas |
| Angelo Mathews | Matthew Kuhnemann |
| Kamindu Mendis | Marnus Labuschagne |
| Kusal Mendis (wk) | Nathan Lyon |
| Ramesh Mendis | Nathan McSweeney |
| Pathum Nissanka | Todd Murphy |
| Nishan Peiris | Mitchell Starc |
| Milan Rathnayake | Beau Webster |
| Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk) | |
| Lahiru Udara | |
| Jeffrey Vandersay |
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Summary of First test and Second test:
| Match | 1st Test (29 January–1 February 2025) | 2nd Test (6–9 February 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Venue | Galle International Stadium, Galle | Galle International Stadium, Galle |
| Result | Australia won by an innings and 242 runs | Australia won by 9 wickets |
| Australia’s Total | 654/6d (154 overs) | 414 (106.4 overs) |
| Sri Lanka’s Total | 165 (52.2 overs) | 257 (97.4 overs) |
| Sri Lanka 2nd Innings | 247 (54.3 overs, f/o) | 231 (68.1 overs) |
| Australia's 2nd Innings | - | 75/1 (17.4 overs) |
| Key Performers (Australia) | Usman Khawaja 232, Alex Carey 156, Mitchell Starc (700 wickets) | Alex Carey 156, Mitchell Starc 3/37 |
| Key Performers (Sri Lanka) | Dinesh Chandimal 72, Jeffrey Vandersay 53 | Kusal Mendis 85*, Angelo Mathews 76, Prabath Jayasuriya 5/151 |
| Top Partnerships | Khawaja-Smith 266 runs for 3rd wicket | Carey-Mendis 120* runs for 4th wicket |
| Player of the Match | Usman Khawaja (Aus) | Alex Carey (Aus) |
| Notable Records | Khawaja’s first double century, Smith’s 10,000th Test run, Starc’s 700th wicket | Smith’s 197th & 200th catch, Carey’s highest score by an Australian WK |
| World Test Championship Points | Australia 12, Sri Lanka 0 | Australia 12, Sri Lanka 0 |
| Umpires | Chris Gaffaney (NZ), Adrian Holdstock (SA) | Adrian Holdstock (SA), Joel Wilson (WI) |
| Miscellaneous | - Rain washed out Day 3, Nishan Peiris 0/189 (worst bowling by SL) | Cooper Connolly’s debut, Dimuth Karunaratne's 100th and last Test |
Performance of the Series :
| Moment | Details |
|---|---|
| Australia Wins First Test | Australia takes a dominant lead in the series with a commanding win in the first Test, setting the tone for the series. |
| Steve Smith’s Century in First Test | Captain Steve Smith scores a crucial century, leading Australia’s charge in the first Test. |
| Australia’s Spin Dominance | Nathan Lyon and Matthew Kuhnemann shine with the ball, taking key wickets throughout the series. |
| Alex Carey’s Match-winning 156 | Alex Carey scores a brilliant 156 in the second Test, helping Australia to a comfortable position in the series-clinching match. |
| Australia Clinches Series Victory | Australia secures the series with a 9-wicket victory in the second Test, winning 2-0 for their first series win in Sri Lanka in 14 years. |
| Sri Lanka’s Resilience | Despite heavy losses, Kusal Mendis and Dimuth Karunaratne display resilience with the bat, trying to keep Sri Lanka competitive. |
| Australia’s Fast Bowling Impact | Mitchell Starc contribute crucial breakthroughs, providing balance to Australia’s attack alongside spinners. |
| Kuhnemann’s Key Wickets | Matthew Kuhnemann takes 16 wickets in the series, playing a crucial role in dismantling Sri Lanka’s batting lineup. |
| Final Day of the Second Test | Australia wraps up the series victory by chasing down a small target, sealing a 9-wicket victory. |
| Historic Win for Steve Smith | Steve Smith’s leadership is widely praised as Australia wins their first Test series in Sri Lanka in 14 years. |
What characterized Australia's 14-year Test cricket dominance is their consistence, resilience, and exceptional performances in every series they played. Really, this streak included, perhaps, something more key victories over the world's top-ranked teams, individual brilliance, and team efforts that fostered a clearer impression of being the world's benchmark in cricket.
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