Joe Root is looking for England to show their skills against spin bowling as their ODI series in Sri Lanka continues in Dambulla on Saturday.
Wednesday’s opening ODI at the same venue lasted just 15 overs, with a deluge of rain leaving the outfield unplayable and causing game one of the five-match series to be abandoned.
Jason Roy fell to Akila Dananjaya but Root, Jonny Bairstow and Eoin Morgan seemed at relative ease against the spinner as England reached 92-2 before the heavens opened.
“As a team, our record against spin is right up there, if not the best in the world, over the last couple of years,” Root said.
“This is another opportunity to show everyone how good we are against spin and to perform well on these surfaces.
“To do that it’s important to understand the rhythm of batting here is very different to back home. The way we structure setting a target or chasing one down might be very different to how we go about it at home.
“The way we approach cricket in ODIs is very different to the last time we toured here [in 2014]. The way we naturally play will always put bowlers under pressure, whether that’s against seam or spin.
“We’ve done it in the majority of places throughout the world, but can we do it here on spinning surfaces?”
Root, who struck four boundaries in a 28-ball 25 last time out, has also refuted Sri Lanka skipper Dinesh Chandimal’s assertion that England’s Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid lack the “mystery spin” of home bowlers Dananjaya and Lakshan Sandakan.
“I think Rash [Rashid] would be a bit disappointed by saying there’s no mystery about how he bowls,” Root added. “He has a few tricks in his bag and I’m sure you’ll see that on these surfaces.
“Every bowler you’ve never faced before is mystery, because you don’t know what you’re going to get. You can get yourself out by talking yourself out.
“Most importantly you prepare, watch the footage, see how they operate and go and play accordingly.”
Dananjaya, meanwhile, insists he is more than prepared to step up if Chandimal wants to hit England with spin from the off.
“I’ve opened before,” he said. “I’m always watching the captain, just waiting for a chance to get the ball in hand. I’ll do whatever the team needs.
“When I play I actually like pressure, and I try to use it in a way that improves my game.”
Eoin Morgan – speaking in the immediate aftermath of Wednesday’s wash out, in which Warwickshire paceman Olly Stone was handed his debut – said England may consider tinkering with their side for Saturday, depending on the state of the pitch.
The tourists selected three spinners in the first ODI, with Liam Dawson supplementing Ali and Rashid, but Mark Wood would appear the favourite to slot in if Morgan opts for the extra seamer.
A rain day is in place for the second ODI, with play able to roll over to Sunday if required.
England (possible): J Roy, J Bairstow, J Root, E Morgan (c), J Buttler, B Stokes, M Ali, C Woakes, A Rashid, O Stone, M Wood
Sri Lanka (possible): U Tharanga, N Dickwella, K Perera, D Chandimal (c), D de Silva, D Shanaka, T Perera, A Dananjaya, L Sandakan, N Pradeep, L Malinga
Watch the second ODI between Sri Lanka and England live on Sky Sports Cricket (channel 404) from 4.45am on Saturday.
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