GALLE: Sri Lanka coach Chris Silverwood on Sunday said there were lessons to be learnt from the team’s new spin hero Prabath Jayasuriya after his third successive five-wicket Test haul.
Jayasuriya remained Sri Lanka’s go-to bowler as he returned figures of 5-82 with his left-arm spin to help bowl out Pakistan for 218 after skipper Babar Azam’s defiant century.
The 30-year-old took 12 wickets on debut in a series-levelling Test win over Australia last week at the same venue, six in each innings.
Sunday’s performance made him the first Sri Lankan bowler and only eighth overall to claim three five-wicket hauls in his first two Tests.
“I think he has been absolutely fantastic so far,” Silverwood told reporters.
“I think the one thing that he does really well is hits line and length and I think that’s the one thing that we need to improve.
Azam hits ton as Pakistan fight back in first Sri Lanka Test
“He asks lots of good questions to the batsman, he gets lot of balls in the good areas and when there is turn he finds it, hence why so successful.”
Jayasuriya rattled the Pakistan batting – which slipped to 85-7 – with his turners and sliders and was on a hat-trick before Azam, who made 118, hit back with help from the lower-order.
“It’s a lesson for the rest of our bowlers of how to do that (bowl consistently in right areas) and something that I have been working very hard to try and change (in the team’s bowling),” said Silverwood, who coached England until earlier this year and was appointed to lead Sri Lanka in April.
“Once we have done that, we will have a serious bowling attack.”
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