Galle, Sep 23 (IANS): New Zealand captain Tim Southee showered praise on young all-rounder Rachin Ravindra, calling him a 'magnificent player' after his gutsy knock in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
Ravindra's effort almost carried New Zealand to an incredible victory, but Sri Lanka’s Prabath Jayasuriya had the final say, securing a 63-run win for the hosts.
Ravindra, batting at No. 4, played the role of a lone warrior for his side. His 92 off 168 balls was a masterclass in patience and resilience, especially as the rest of the New Zealand batters, including former captain Kane Williamson, struggled on a deteriorating Day 4 pitch. No other Kiwi batter managed to score more than 30 in the final innings, leaving Ravindra to shoulder the responsibility of chasing 275 on his own.
"I know he is a magnificent player. He played here for the first time. He must be very, very excited about it. Yeah, we've been excited for a while. We saw glimpses back in New Zealand of his capabilities and what he's got. He's got a lot of attributes that set him up for a lot of success at this level. We've seen that in the short sample size," Southee said after the match.
Despite being unbeaten overnight, New Zealand’s hopes of a stunning win crumbled early on Day 5. Ravindra was dismissed LBW in the second over of the morning by Jayasuriya, whose 5-68 in the second innings along with his match figures of 9-204, secured a victory for Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium.
"If you look at any Test matches, there's moments in matches, and you look at that first innings, I'll still ask, I think it's because I've not seen anything happen in this part of the world. The deeper you go, the harder it becomes. We know it's obviously a challenge for us, but in this part of the world, the later the Test goes, the tougher it becomes, so that was a big moment," Southee added.
With the win, Sri Lanka leapfrogged New Zealand into third place in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings, keeping their hopes of reaching the WTC final alive.
New Zealand now face a daunting task with upcoming series against India and England, knowing that their chances of making the WTC final have become significantly tougher.