Rishabh Pant can make Virender Sehwag-like impact: Angelo Mathews

NEW DELHI: Sri Lanka's last Test win against India came under Angelo Mathews in 2015 in Galle—the venue for the first Test starting on Saturday. He was a new captain thenWhile all the talk leading up to the series has been around spinners playing the key role, Mathews highlighted that playing rank turners can backfire on home teams. "If I am not mistaken, India played on quite a few ranked turners against New Zealand and South Africa. Sometimes, it could backfire. We played on ranked turners against foreign teams and it has backfired for us as well. Because it's not easy as a batsman to play on ranked turners no matter how good you are," Mathews told TOI on Friday. Mathews has been a part of a Sri Lankan team which had heady battles with India, especially on their own turf. He believes a player like Rishabh Pant should be backed by the management as he too could have an impact like Virender Sehwag did in Sri Lanka. "I remember when Ajanta Mendis was running through the Indian batting line-up, Sehwag was the one standing tall. He was so destructive and such a disruption. Pant is such a player," Mathews said. "Pant takes the game on as soon as he walks into the crease. So, bowlers, watch out. A player like that needs backing. A guy like that who can take the game away within a few hours should be backed," he added. A big part of succeeding in Sri Lanka is to be measured against playing spin. One can't afford to go into his shell. "It's about being proactive. I think if you are sweeping, sweep well. If you are using your feet, use your feet well. So, it's all about using your feet and also knowing your options of how to score runs on those wickets is going to be crucial. Mathews also stressed on the importance of not just focusing on spinners in Sri Lanka. "It's definitely not wise to believe that cricket in Sri Lanka will be dictated only by spin," he said. "I wouldn't rule out the faster bowlers also because they are skillful. Guys like Asif Fernando and Vishwa Fernando have a bigger role to play as well, especially with the new ball," he added. 'Lack of Test opportunities disheartening'

Sri Lankan cricket saw a sharp drop in the number of Test matches they played after the stalwarts like Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene retired. For Mathews, it is a big reason behind Sri Lanka's inconsistent performances. "I don't think poor performance or whatever has to do anything with that. It's just that it's disappointing that the so-called big teams or who is not wanting to play too many matches against Sri Lanka is quite disheartening. And I think ICC has a bigger role to play in this," Mathews opined. "We have not been consistent throughout which can happen to any team. The more we play, the more we learn. We are playing Test matches one year apart. Sri Lanka Cricket can discuss with ICC and other boards as well and try to accommodate more Test cricket," he added. Watch Sri Lanka vs. India 1st Test Day 1 on August 15, 2026, from 10 AM IST live on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD and Sony LIV.

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