For Sri Lanka, the first Test tour to England since 2016 represents a great opportunity, one which the team will no doubt approach with a mixture of optimism and apprehension.

On the positive side, they have a perfect record since Dhananjaya de Silva took over as captain, albeit with three Test matches against Afghanistan and Bangladesh. And Sanath Jayasuriya’s tenure as caretaker coach got off to an amazing start with a surprise win over India in the One-Day International series.

Sri Lanka’s first win against their neighbours in 27 years has brought a little more of a feel-good factor to the island’s cricket. Given Jayasuriya’s style of play, it will be interesting to see how his presence affects the team. A good performance in England would only increase calls for him to stay on as long-term coach.

However, anyone who has followed the team closely over the past 18 months will know there is cause for concern. Sri Lanka have faltered when facing more established opposition, losing four out of four Tests to New Zealand and Pakistan during that period. The team has not played outside Asia since March 2023 and it is questionable whether the batters can cope with the pace, especially Mark Wood’s blitzes. Sold-out stadiums will also add to the pressure, having recently become accustomed to playing Tests in front of a handful of fans.

At least there is experience behind their batting. Angelo Mathews (37), Dinesh Chandimal (34) and Dimuth Karunaratne (36) have all been to England twice with the Test team. The first two have hit hundreds, at Lord’s and Durham respectively, and Karunaratne will be desperate to get his name on a roll of honour. He has scored more runs than any other Test opener in the last five years and has maintained an average of over 50 during that period. When Sri Lanka next travel to England, those three will all be on high.

At the other end of the spectrum are some exciting young batters. Pathum Nissanka (26) returns to the red-ball side for the first time in two years. During his absence he became a cornerstone of Sri Lanka’s white-ball sides, their first ODI double centurion, and he showed a remarkable ability to continue to improve his game. Kamindu Mendis (25), known for his incredible ability to bowl with both hands, had a stellar year, scoring 365 runs in two Tests in Bangladesh. Among Sri Lanka’s top seven could be six batters with an average of over 40; Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis will see the tour as an opportunity to enhance their international reputations.

There are further questions about the bowling, as neither attacker has played a Test in England. The Fernandos – Vishwa and Asitha (no relation) – will surely share the new ball and will have to shoulder a heavy workload and responsibility. Both have had brief stints as overseas players in the County Championship: the agile left-hander Vishwa took nine wickets for Yorkshire in his last outing.

Sri Lanka fans will be hoping that Asitha can be their breakthrough player. The big-hearted, broad-shouldered quick has quickly become the spearhead of their pace attack and has quietly established himself as the island’s best red-ball seamer since Chaminda Vaas.

He has 45 Test wickets at 26.60, which is no mean feat considering that three of his 14 Tests have come outside Asia. Working hard on unfavourable tracks in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka has forced him to develop a varied arsenal: he has a sharp bouncer, a dangerous yorker and can execute reverse swing. He has also shown he can take out the best batters. If Sri Lanka are to spring an upset in the series, Asitha could be the key.

The third-seamer spot is still up for grabs. At his best, Lahiru Kumara can act as an enforcer and bowl hard lengths with good pace, as England found in the 2023 World Cup. But he has lacked top-level cricket in recent months and tends to be unpredictable. Kasun Rajitha or Milan Rathnayake may be better suited to take advantage of changing conditions. Rajitha bowls good balls but has never established himself as an automatic candidate, while Rathnayake seems to be in good rhythm but has yet to play an international at this level. With the three Tests being played in 20 days, it is likely that all three will feature at some point.

On past tours, Sri Lanka’s attacks have been characterised by spin and Prabath Jayasuriya has set an enviable record by taking 71 scalps in 12 Tests. However, most of these have come on spin-friendly wickets. Whether he has the skill and versatility to thrive on less receptive tracks remains to be seen. He will be hoping to capitalise on England’s compulsive attacking urge and should the ball start to spin, he could prove a real challenge.

The biggest obstacle might be arriving at Old Trafford with no previous experience. Due to visa issues, the last squad members only landed in the UK on Friday, five days before the start of the first Test. The only warm-up game was nothing special either. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 139 in their first innings in Worcester by an inexperienced England Lions attack and their batters seemed hopelessly outmatched to cope with the long distances and moving ball. If they don’t improve quickly, it could be a very long series.

Nevertheless, the team and the island are excited. “Playing three Test matches in England is a great opportunity for us,” said Jayasuriya. “This series gives our players a platform to showcase their talent in the red ball.”

The changing face of the global game has seen Sri Lanka increasingly focus on limited overs cricket of late. The country’s biggest names are white-ball specialists who have not made the trip, so this tour could have profound implications. Competitive cricket could remind the world that the five-day game needs countries outside the big three of India, Australia and England; a debacle would be another nail in the coffin for the global future of Tests.

On the way to Old Trafford, no one knows exactly what we will see there. That alone makes the prospect exciting.