Jayawardene Reckons England is Most Consistent Test Team in the World

Almost backing the idea that England are the best team to displace India at the top of the Test rankings, the former Sri Lankan captain has given his vote of confidence to the England cricket team.

Mahela Jayawardene

Mahela Jayawardene was speaking on the ICC Cricket Show when he made the statement that in his opinion, England were leveling as the best team in Test cricket at the moment. At the outset, the statement is rather sensational in the fact that it could be interpreted that Jayawardene reckons England is better than the current no.1 Test rank holders in India.

However, Jayawardene appears to be merely acknowledging the fact that England have made great strides in recent times to now be setting standards for the other teams to aspire for in Test cricket. in his opinion, England have been the most consistent Test team at the moment and he feels they are best when they play at home, which is true of most teams.

Jayawardene did point out though that England were yet to get the better of teams from the sub continent such as India and his own Sri Lanka, but he believes England deserve to be reckoned as the best team, pitted against whom will give other teams a chance to test their mettle.

While Sri Lanka are relishing the prospect of playing with England, even if they lost the first Test under rather dramatic circumstances in Cardiff and drew in the second Test, much hinges on the result of the third Test as Sri Lanka find themselves without the captain, Tillekeratne Dilshan, who scored the bulk of the runs in the second Test but fractured his thumb to be ruled out for the third Test. Kumar Sangakkara is captaining the team but also revealing that captaincy can be a heavy burden to bear. Sangakkara had previously raises questions about the basis on which India were reckoned as the no.1 Test team.

The battle for the top position since Australia’s slip and slide was centered mainly on India and South Africa before stagnation could up with the latter and development acceleration was on the cards for England under captain Andrew Strauss and coach Andy Flower. In the past eighteen months, England have made real breakthroughs in breaking their lackadaisical movements of results into a steady stream of consistency that was best highlighted when they won the Ashes back to back. Ever since England have been itching for an opportunity and now playing at home, gives them the best opportunity to face the crowned Indian cricket team.

But from England’s perspective, the warm up against Sri Lanka builds rather nicely towards India’s tour of England that will follow after the India West Indies Test series is completed. With England hot on the trail and India fighting to stay fit, on their feet and ready to defend their standing, there is a mouth watering prospect as the two teams go head to head in the fight for supremacy. More swords will be crossed, but Jayawardene’s thumbs may not have pleased his counterparts in the sub continent.