England vs Sri Lanka, second Test ratings: Joe Root plays the perfect innings in Galle

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Dom Sibley Credit to his determination that he gritted it out and ended with a battling fifty. Ashwin will be a different prospect and more tough challenges await, but Sibley has character in abundance. 5/10 Zak Crawley Gains a point for two excellent short leg catches. Just 35 runs and an average of 8.75 a return to earth for boy wonder. Likely to go back to three when Burns returns; just needs time at the crease to adapt his game for spin in England to Asian conditions. 4/10 Jonny Bairstow Looked solid without going on to make a big, defining score. Bairstow plays spin well, always looking to impose himself. Facing India’s pace attack will prove if he has solved technical problem against ball nipping in...that's if he gets back in the side for the last two Tests. 6/10 Joe Root Caught on the fence on 228, run out twice and bowled around his legs, Sri Lanka just could not work out how to bowl at Root in this form. Greedy for runs and silenced the conversion rate debate (for now). Tactically generally sound and team are playing his way. 10/10 Dan Lawrence Good debut but perhaps overconfidence got the better of him as he suddenly looked unable to play spin in the second Test, dismissed both times with a big gap between bat and pad. 6/10 Jos Buttler Kept superbly, which was always the worry in Asia, and is so assured pacing a Test innings now. Strange he is willing to be rested for three Tests in India when he is in such good form. He will be badly missed. 8/10 Sam Curran A series average of 8.50 with the bat and 38 with the ball, albeit in unhelpful conditions for a swing bowler, made Curran a passenger. His Test batting has fallen apart as his T20 skills have increased and that’s a bit of a worry. 5/10 Dom Bess Bags of character and refreshingly honest about his own performances, Bess was gifted several of his 12 wickets and will have to be better containing batsmen when the ball is not turning but appears able to forget bad balls and keep going. 6/10 Jack Leach Had started to look in rhythm by the end of the first Test so it was disappointing he bowled inconsistently in the first innings of the second game. Improved as the pitch turned but outbowled by Sri Lanka’s left-armer, Lasith Embuldeniya, who had better flight and accuracy. 6/10 Mark Wood Proof stats can lie. Three wickets at 51.33 do not do him justice. Bowled himself to exhaustion on a flat pitch generating hostile pace and hitting batsmen on the fingers, body and head. Wood proved the value of raw pace in Asia in his eight over spell in baking heat in the second Test. 7/10 James Anderson Even surprised himself with his best overseas figures of 6-40. Perhaps bagged a couple of wickets on reputation but was metronomic with his line and length, and if India produce pitches with a bit of life for their own seamers then Anderson should enjoy a better tour than last time. 8/10 Stuart Broad So skilful with his cutters and changes of pace and angle. Made batsmen play because of his unerring accuracy and England are now pondering pairing Broad and Anderson for the first Test against India. Remarkable desire to stay at the top. 8/10

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