South Africa won the toss and elected to bat on a dry, breezy day at St George’s Park, a decision that seemed to suit both captains. While Temba Bavuma chose to take the first innings on a pitch expected to deteriorate under the strong winds, Sri Lanka’s Dhananjaya de Silva admitted he would have preferred to bowl first had the toss gone his way. The grass cover on the wicket offered a tempting opportunity for Sri Lanka to exploit South Africa’s batting line-up early.
This marked the end of de Silva’s streak of seven consecutive toss wins, a record that stretched across his last seven Tests.
The pitch, prepared by groundsman Adi Carter, featured an 8mm grass cover. This was less about aiding seamers and more about protecting the surface from the drying winds, gusting at 43 kph. As the match progresses, spin is expected to come into play, leading Sri Lanka to stick with their lone spinner, Prabath Jayasuriya. Milan Ratnayake was left out as Sri Lanka fielded the same XI that played in Durban.
South Africa, however, had to make two injury-enforced changes. Wiaan Mulder and Gerald Coetzee were sidelined, with Dane Paterson stepping in as the third seamer. To strengthen their batting, South Africa included Ryan Rickelton, who slotted in at No. 3, pushing Tristan Stubbs and others down the order.
This match holds immense significance for both teams as they vie for a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. While South Africa needs three wins from their remaining three Tests to secure their place, Sri Lanka faces an uphill battle. Following their loss in Durban, another defeat here would severely dent their chances of finishing in the top two.
Teams for the Second Test
South Africa
Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (capt), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Paterson
Sri Lanka
Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), Kusal Mendis (wk), Prabath Jayasuriya, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara
With the stakes sky-high, both sides will be pushing hard for a result, setting the stage for an intense clash in Port Elizabeth.