England Look To Sweep Sri Lanka As India Await

Joe Root's England will look to sweep Sri Lanka in the second and final Test, starting Friday, as they prepare to face an India side buoyed by their sensational victory in Australia. England, who

Cricket Image for England Look To Sweep Sri Lanka As India Await (England Tour Of Sri Lanka (Image Source - Twitter))

After skittling Sri Lanka for 135, England should have strolled to victory with Root scoring 228 of England's first innings of 421. But Sri Lanka's batsmen put up fierce resistance in the second innings.

Stuart Broad, Sam Curran and Mark Wood led the pace component of an attack that twice bowled out Sri Lanka. 

But Silverwood said the team would rotate their options for the second Test, also in Galle, with James Anderson, Chris Woakes and Olly Stone also in the squad.

"Looking at what we've got in front of us with a lot of Tests in India as well, it's highly likely that there will be rotation and rest within the seamers' line-up," Silverwood said.

"There's plenty of things on the table at the moment, so we have to do what's best for the players and equally, making sure that we've got the strongest balanced attack out there to make sure we win the Test match as well."

Silverwood confirmed that Moeen Ali, who is out of isolation after testing positive for coronavirus, is unlikely to play.

England's performance in the next five Tests will decide the finalists of the inaugural World Test championship.