Jack Leach becomes England's leading Test wicket-taker in Sri Lanka

England left-arm spinner Jack Leach, on Monday, became the country’s leading wicket-taker in Tests in Sri Lanka.

Jack Leach achieved the feat on Day 4 of the second Test at Galle. Sri Lanka were rolled over for a miserable 126 in their second innings, with the left-arm spinner finishing with impressive figures of 4 for 59 in 14 overs.

Jack Leach went into the Test with 24 wickets in four matches in Sri Lanka at an average of 26.42. When he dismissed Lankan opener Lahiru Thirimanne for 13, he went past another former England left-arm spinner, Ashley Giles, to claim the record.

Giles picked up 25 wickets in six Test matches in Sri Lanka while averaging 33.92. Following the conclusion of the hosts' second innings in the Galle Test, Jack Leach now has 28 wickets in six Tests in Sri Lanka at an average of 26.42.

While Giles had one five-wicket haul, the 29-year-old has two five-fors in Sri Lanka - 5 for 83 in the Kandy Test of November 2018 and 5 for 122 in the second innings of the first Test held earlier this month.

Thanks to Jack Leach and Dom Bess (4 for 49), England need to chase only 164 to win the second Test and clinch the two-match series 2-0. England defeated Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the first Test, also played at Galle.

Jack Leach. Our all time Test wicket taker in Sri Lanka. Well done that man pic.twitter.com/pHrlbANqFb

— Cj Joiner (@Cj_covblaze) January 25, 2021

Jack Leach: Slowly spinning a success story

England have been struggling for a good Test spinner since Graeme Swann’s retirement and Monty Panesar losing his way.

Jack Leach has done a reasonable job since coming into the scheme of things for England in April 2018. In 12 Tests, the left-arm spinner has 44 wickets to his name at an average of 30.50 with two five-wicket hauls, both of which have come in Sri Lanka.

The Headingley magic 🤩#OnThisDay last year, Ben Stokes's 135* led England to a famous one-wicket #Ashes win over Australia.He shared a crucial 76-run last-wicket stand with Jack Leach (1*). pic.twitter.com/GhEL55LXGt

— ICC (@ICC) August 25, 2020

Jack Leach also featured in the famous 10th wicket partnership of 76 with Ben Stokes at Headingley in the 2019 Ashes Test. He remained unbeaten on 1 from 17 balls as Stokes hammered a scintillating 135 not out to pull off a miraculous win for England.