Cricket Match Prediction | Sri Lanka vs Australia | 2nd Test | Feb 06 – Can AUS end the series on a winning note?

SL vs AUS Match Analysis

Sri Lanka and Australia will play each other in the 2nd match of the two-match test series on February 06, 2025, at 10:30 AM BST at Galle International Stadium, Galle.

Sri Lanka and their home fans will be eager to move on quickly from the first Test of this two-match series. However, the heavy defeat may still linger in the minds of the players as they prepare for this next challenge. Australia won the toss and took full control, proving the timeless Test cricket mantra of ‘bat once, bat big’ as they piled up 654/6 declared, paving the way for a commanding innings-and-242-run victory.

Their dominance was so complete that they have already sent young opener Sam Konstas back to Australia to focus on red-ball cricket in the Sheffield Shield. Meanwhile, Steve Smith’s side heads into this Test brimming with confidence.

SL vs AUS Team Preview & Squads

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s totals of 165 and 247 all out were never going to be enough to secure a Test victory, and they fell well short of their best against Australia last week. Fortunately, the hosts have a wealth of experience in their lineup, with most of their batters possessing strong records to rely on. This time, there can be no excuses—Dimuth Karunaratne must finish his career on a high, while young talent Kamindu Mendis needs to bounce back after a disappointing performance in Galle.

The bowlers of SL also have a point to prove after a tough outing in the first Test. They struggled to contain Australia’s batting, with Usman Khawaja and Travis Head putting them under severe pressure. If Sri Lanka finds themselves bowling first again, they must come up with new plans to make early inroads. Prabath Jayasuriya and Jeffrey Vandersay, who each claimed three wickets in the previous match, will once again be key figures in the attack.

Sri Lanka Squads

Sri Lanka

Prabath Jayasuriya, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Nishan Peiris, Kusal Mendis, Asitha Fernando, Kamindu Mendis, Dimuth Karunaratne, Lahiru Kumara, Jeffrey Vandersay, Vishwa Fernando, Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Udara, Sonal Dinusha, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Milan Ratnayake.

Australia 

Australia could hardly have asked for a better start to the series, as everything fell into place perfectly in the opening Test. However, in modern Test cricket—especially when playing overseas—such ideal scenarios are rare. They will be well aware that maintaining high standards across the team is essential, particularly if they don’t get the advantage of winning the toss and playing in the best conditions this time.

Usman Khawaja (232), Steve Smith (141), and debutant Josh Inglis (102) all registered centuries in Galle and will be eager to get back out in the middle. However, they are far from the only threats in Australia’s batting lineup. Travis Head, who contributed a half-century, has been in outstanding form across formats and was recently honored with the Allan Border Medal for his performances over the past year.

On the bowling front of AUS, spin is expected to play a crucial role once again, meaning Matthew Kuhnemann and Nathan Lyon could be in for another heavy workload—and potentially another haul of wickets.

Australia Squads

Australia

Scott Boland, Travis Head, Todd Murphy, Beau Webster, Usman Khawaja, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan McSweeney, Matthew Kuhnemann, Sean Abbott, Steven Smith, Cooper Connolly.

Sri Lanka vs Australia outfield report

Galle International Stadium

We anticipate that both captains will be anxious to bat first when they go out for the toss on a pitch that will probably be ideal for batting on throughout the first two days before turning much more from day three onwards. With temperatures expected to reach over 30 degrees over the whole Test match, Galle is expected to have another sweltering five days. No rain is predicted, though there might be a few brief cloudy spells.

The bowlers must put in a lot of effort to get their wickets because this pitch does not have a lot of bounce. Batters that are patient will win, but when the spinners start to dominate later in the game, they might need to change their strategy.

Sri Lanka vs Australia Head-to-Head Stats of Last 5 Matches

SL has won one in their last five encounters and AUS has won four.

Sri Lanka vs Australia Prediction

Cricket analysts predict Australia has a 52% chance of winning.

Disclaimer: This cricket prediction is based on the author’s insights and analysis. Readers should consider the points discussed and draw their own conclusions.