Sri Lanka v Australia in 2024/25

Test matches (2): Sri Lanka 0 (0pts), Australia 2 (24pts)
One-Day internationals (2): Sri Lanka 2, Australia 0

Australia had not won a Test series in Sri Lanka since 2011/12, but convincingly retained the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy they had won at home early in 2019. As in 2022, when the series was shared 1–1, both games took place at Galle. That trip had taught the Australians about the dry, turning surface, and – after a training camp in Dubai – they were well prepared to counter the spinners. This was the last series in the 2023–25 World Test Championship, although Australia’s recent home victory over India, allied to South Africa’s late run of form, had ended Sri Lanka’s slim hopes of reaching the final.

Pat Cummins was nursing an ankle injury, which meant Steve Smith resumed the captaincy, anxious to erase the memory of a 3-0 whitewash under his command in Sri Lanka in 2016. The trump cards were his spinners, who outbowled their opponents’, taking 32 of the 40 wickets. Slow left-armer Matt Kuhnemann picked up 16 at 17, and off-spinner Nathan Lyon 14 at 22; for Sri Lanka, Prabath Jayasuriya led the way with nine, but they cost 44 each. Some of the sheen was taken off when Kuhnemann was reported for a suspect action, though he was eventually cleared.

The spinners’ hold was such that no home batsman reached three figures. By comparison, Australia had five hundreds, including Usman Khawaja’s maiden double. Smith made a century in both Tests, newcomer Josh Inglis hit a rapid 102 on debut in the first, while Alex Carey’s 156 helped take charge of the second. The tourists swept and reverse-swept adeptly – with Khawaja to the fore – which made it difficult for Dhananjaya de Silva to set a field.

The two one-day internationals which concluded the tour were supposed to be preparation for Australia at the Champions Trophy, but Sri Lanka won both convincingly. Charith Asalanka’s century helped them recover from 55-5 to win the first by 49 runs, before Australia crumbled to their lowest total – and heaviest defeat by runs – against Sri Lanka in the second. Both were day games at Colombo’s Premadasa Stadium, where new floodlights were being installed.

Australia’s touring party to Sri Lanka, 2024/25

*SPD Smith (T/50), SA Abbott (T/50), SM Boland (T), AT Carey (T/50), CPL Connolly (T/50), BJ Dwarshuis (50), NT Ellis (50), JM Fraser-McGurk (50), AM Hardie (50), TM Head (T/50), JP Inglis (T/50), SH Johnson (50), UT Khawaja (T), SJ Konstas (T), MP Kuhnemann (T), M Labuschagne (T/50), NM Lyon (T), NA McSweeney (T), GJ Maxwell (50), TR Murphy (T), TS Sangha (T/50), MW Short (50), MA Starc (T/50), BJ Webster (T). Coach: AB McDonald.

PJ Cummins was originally named as captain for the ODIs, but failed to recover from an ankle injury, and withdrew; so did JR Hazlewood (hip) and MR Marsh (back). MP Stoinis was chosen as well, but announced his international retirement soon after.

First Test at Galle, January 29-February 1, 2025

Australia won by an innings and 242 runs. Australia 12pts. Toss: Australia. Test debut: JP Inglis.

Sri Lanka suffered their heaviest Test defeat, as Australia outplayed them in all departments. The toss was significant on a dry, turning pitch: both teams went into the match with three spinners, but Australia negated the home threat so well that they racked up 654-6, the highest between these teams (previously their own 617-6 at Perth in 1995/96). The spine of the innings was Khawaja’s maiden double-century. Smith, captain in the absence of the injured Pat Cummins, and debutant Josh Inglis each made a hundred.

Sri Lanka had their chances, but failed to take them on a horrific first day. They did not review when Khawaja was caught behind on 74; when he had 90, a bat–pad chance went begging to the wicketkeeper. Jayasuriya put down a tough return catch when Smith was on one – his 10,000th run in Tests – after which he made batting look easy, stroking his way to his 35th Test hundred. Head had started the assault with three fours in the opening over, from Fernando, en route to a 35-ball fifty. He had a dose of luck on 23, when Sri Lanka decided not to review a confident lbw appeal from Fernando: DRS showed three reds. He eventually fell for 57. Labuschagne was the only other wicket to fall on the first day, as Australia purred to 330 against some lacklustre bowling.

The runs piled up on the second, and Australia eventually passed their highest total in Asia (617 against Pakistan at Faisalabad in 1979/80), thanks mainly to a third-wicket stand of 266 between Khawaja and Smith, a national record against Sri Lanka. Khawaja went on to 232, from 352 balls in 503 minutes; he was the second-oldest Australian to score a Test double, after Don Bradman (twice). “I’ve got my own plans to spin,” he said. “I’m 38 now, and this is my fifth trip to Sri Lanka. I’ve made all the mistakes I know I can make. There are certain ways I’m happy to get out, and certain ways I’m not.”

The Yorkshire-born Inglis vindicated his selection ahead of teenager Sam Konstas by scoring a 90-ball century, warmly appreciated by his parents in the stands. The home spinners toiled for almost two days, and Jayasuriya alone sent down 60 overs. After so long in the field the Sri Lankans were exhausted, and it showed: three wickets went down in an hour before the close, with a sensational catch by Head at short leg sending back Mathews.

Rain on the third day allowed only the morning session, when two more wickets fell, but the fourth dawned bright, and Australia wrapped up the match by dismissing Sri Lanka for 165 and 247. Five fell for nine in their first innings, and Kuhnemann claimed the second five-for of his Test career. Chandimal’s rearguard 72 ended when he missed a reverse sweep and was lbw to Lyon, and he was back at the crease less than an hour later, as Sri Lanka followed on 489 behind, and lost both openers quickly. Chandimal put on 69 with Mathews – the hosts’ best stand of the match – before Vandersay (playing his second Test, two and a half years after his first) top-scored with 53. But it was too little, too late. Kuhnemann had been doubtful before the series because of a thumb injury, but recovered to bag nine wickets in a near flawless Australian performance.

Player of the match: UT Khawaja.

Second Test at Galle, February 6-9, 2025

Australia won by nine wickets. Australia 12pts. Toss: Sri Lanka. Test debut: CPL Connolly.

Karunaratne, whose 100th Test also marked his international retirement. But it ended with another heavy defeat, as the clinical Australians completed their first series victory here in three attempts since 2011.

Sri Lanka had made three changes, with Pathum Nissanka returning after a groin injury to replace Oshada Fernando, off-spinning all-rounder Ramesh Mendis Wanigamuni coming in for leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay, and Lahiru Kumara for Asitha Fernando. Australia gave a first cap to the 21-year-old Western Australia all-rounder Cooper Connolly, in place of off-spinner Todd Murphy, who had taken only one wicket in the first Test. Connolly was an unknown quantity: this was his fifth first-class match, and he had not yet taken a wicket with his slow left-armers. He was given only five overs, and did not break his duck.

At first, everything went according to plan for Sri Lanka: de Silva won the toss, and his side ended the first session at 87-1. But a collapse set in, and they ended the day nine down, handing the advantage to Australia, whose bowlers gave little away. Chandimal and Kusal Mendis made half-centuries, but on 74 Chandimal was deceived by a beauty from Kuhnemann which turned and bounced: it missed the outside edge, and Carey completed the stumping. Mendis Wanigamuni helped Kusal add 65 for the seventh wicket, but Starc broke through twice with the second new ball, and Sri Lanka were dismissed early on the second morning for 257. Kusal was left stranded on 85, an outstanding innings in the circumstances.

Sri Lanka reduced Australia to 91-3 shortly after lunch on the second day, but were held up by Carey, promoted because Inglis – who had been off the field with a back spasm – could not bat until the fall of the fifth wicket. Smith and Carey countered the spinners beautifully, using their feet, sweeping effectively, and looking secure in defence. Such was their dominance that Sri Lanka’s main bowler, slow left-armer Jayasuriya, resorted to negative lines outside leg stump. Carey raced to a 118-ball century, while Smith was his usual unflappable self, eventually falling for 131, when Jayasuriya had him caught behind to end a stand of 259, the highest for the fourth wicket by a visiting pair in Sri Lanka. Carey went on to 156 – his first-class best – as Australia reached the close on 330-3. Though they lost seven for 64 next day, a lead of 157 was still imposing. Jayasuriya persisted for his ninth five-for at Galle, taking his tally there to 80 (out of 116 Test wickets).

Sri Lanka lost five before clearing the deficit, but Mathews and Kusal began to worry the Australians with a stand of 70, before Mathews swept Lyon to fine leg on 76, and Webster held a good tumbling catch. Australia grabbed two more wickets in the final session, and didn’t take long to polish off the resistance on the fourth morning: Kuhnemann and Lyon finished with eight between them, including Kusal, who completed his second fifty of the match before popping a catch to short fine leg. Needing a modest 75, Australia lost Head, but eased home.

Player of the Match: AT Carey. Player of the Series: SPD Smith.

1st ODI At Colombo (RPS), February 12, 2025. Sri Lanka won by 49 runs. Sri Lanka 214 (46 overs) (KIC Asalanka 127, DN Wellalage 30; SA Abbott 3-61); Australia 165 (33.5 overs) (AT Carey 41, AM Hardie 32; MM Theekshana 4-40). PoM: KIC Asalanka.

2nd ODI At Colombo (RPS), February 14, 2025. Sri Lanka won by 174 runs. Sri Lanka 281-4 (50 overs) (KNM Fernando 51, BKG Mendis 101, KIC Asalanka 78*, KLJ Vimukthi 32*); Australia 107 (24.2 overs) (AM Fernando 3-23, DN Wellalage 4-35, PWH de Silva 3-23). PoM: BKG Mendis. PoS: KIC Asalanka.