The West Indies have never won a Test – let alone a Test Series – in Sri Lanka, and the new West Indies captain was realistic about his side’s chances against Kumar Sangakkara’s outfit.
“It’s not easy to beat Sri Lanka here,” he said on the eve of the Test. “Not only West Indies, but most teams find it difficult.
“We are confident that if we put in hard work, we can be consistent in our performance. Like you saw, Sri Lanka just won in Australia, and they’ve never won in Australia. It’s a motivation for our guys to come up with some consistent performances.”
West Indies have lost all but one of the six Tests they have played in Sri Lanka, with the other – the inaugural Test between the two sides – drawn.
Sammy believes the key to winning the series will be how well his side bats, particularly against the Sri Lankans’ spin bowlers, led by Ajantha Mendis.
“Sri Lanka is a place where lots of runs have been scored,” he said. “If you look at the last few series played here, the batsmen have scored the runs, and it looks like a very good pitch here.
“In Sri Lanka, the ball also spins, so we have to take that into account and plan accordingly.”
He said: “We want to play according to our strength. The management and coaching staff will meet, and we’ll select the best team to pose a challenge to Sri Lanka. I am not predicting anything, our guys are confident, and they know the task ahead.”
Sammy will make his debut as Test captain, after he replaced opener Chris Gayle in the position last month.
“West Indies cricket carries a great history and a legacy,” he said. “To lead any West Indies team is exciting.
“I know the players and they have prepared mentally and physically to take up the challenge. We are quite excited and looking forward to [Monday].”
The teams also play Tests at the Premadasa Stadium in the Sri Lanka capital of Colombo, starting on November 23, and at Pallekele, starting on December 1.
The Tests will be followed by five One-day Internationals and a Twenty20 International.
