West Indies have lost their last five tosses in Sri Lanka, but the statistic that will worry them more is how they haven't been able to win a Test in all their years of travelling to these shores, going as far back as 1993.
In that sense, their defeat last week in Galle wasn't something out of the ordinary, but what will be is the venue for the second Test. It will be the dry, spinning, beautiful Galle once again - the first time West Indies will be playing back to back Tests at the same venue in Sri Lanka - and how handy the learnings from last week come in could shape the series for the visitors as well as the hosts.
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West Indies, even in a loss last week, might have come across what exactly is needed on these Sri Lankan pitches. They were wobbling at 18 for 6 in the second innings when Nkrumah Bonner and Joshua Da Silva put on a stubborn rearguard, playing out 220 and 129 balls respectively and making Sri Lankan bowlers mount spell after spell in the heat. Even with the ball, Rahkeem Cornwall hit better lines and lengths in the second innings and his partnership with Roston Chase, who picked five wickets in the first innings, will be crucial to West Indies's chances.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, sit comfortably with a 1-0 series lead and stand buoyed by the form of Dimuth Karunaratne, their captain who made 147 and 83 and was adjudged Player of the Match. The bowling attack looked in good rhythm, especially the spin attack which picked 19 of the 20 wickets in the first Test, and the trick for the team will be to keep doing more of what they did last week.
The Test will also be Mickey Arthur's last as head coach for Sri Lanka before he joins Derbyshire, and the team will look to farewell him on a victorious note.
