Sri Lanka Elects to Bat in Second Test

Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat in the second Test against New Zealand in Galle, marking the sixth consecutive toss win for captain Dhananjaya de Silva. The team made two changes from the first Test, bringing in debutant off-spinner Nishan Peiris and all-rounder Milan Rathnayake, replacing Ramesh Mendis and fast bowler Lahiru Kumara. De Silva emphasized the need for a substantial total, citing concerns with the lower order batting. New Zealand retained their unchanged lineup, hoping to level the series after losing the first Test by 63 runs. A victory for Sri Lanka would secure their first series win over New Zealand in 15 years and bolster their position in the World Test Championship standings. Meanwhile, New Zealand needs a win to reclaim third place in the rankings.