Bob Willis told Sky Sports England skipper Andrew Strauss is on "borrowed time" in the Test arena.
'Strauss should not have detached himself from one-day cricket'
Bob Willis believes Andrew Strauss' place in the England side is under threat.
Captain Strauss, who has only scored one Test-match century since July 2009, was dismissed in the twenties by the spin of Rangana Herath in both innings of the first Test against Sri Lanka.
"Andrew Strauss really has got a problem against slow bowling and is well short of runs," said
Sky Sports pundit Willis. "He is beginning to become desperate.
"If Eoin Morgan was the first to the guillotine then Strauss isn't far behind. I think the selectors will definitely stick with him for the home series with West Indies and South Africa this summer but I do think he is on borrowed time.
"And I also think he made a tremendous error giving up 50-over cricket and that has shortened his lifespan as England captain."
Percentages
England have been set a target of 340 to win the match at the Galle International Stadium - which, if successful, would be their highest-ever run chase.
The visitors closed day three on 111-2, with Jonathan Trott unbeaten on 40 and Kevin Pietersen 29 not out, the South-African born duo sharing an unbroken stand of 63.
Read our report here
Former Surrey batsman Mark Butcher concedes that Sri Lanka are still overwhelming favourites to take a 1-0 lead in the series ahead of the second game at Colombo.
But he says if the remainder of England's batsmen play in the style that Trott and Pietersen adopted then they can flourish against a "workmanlike" flotilla of bowlers.
"There were times in that final session, as the (Trott-Pietersen) partnership grew, that you saw the bowling attack for what it is; workmanlike but not spectacular.
"If a couple of batsmen are able to get themselves in and play the percentages there is no reason why they shouldn't be able to chase (these runs) down.
"The ball has done something here and there but it hasn't consistently gone through the top or spun, so England have a chance, albeit an outside one because a lot of the batsmen to come are short of runs.
"But (Sri Lanka captain) Mahela Jayawardene has been put under pressure because he knows he doesn't have an ace up his sleeve like Muttiah Muralitharan."
Butcher added: "Pietersen reminded me of Rahul Dravid with one shot he played; the off-spinner dropped fractionally short of off stump and KP used his feet to get back outside leg and hit it with a perfectly perpendicular bat through extra cover.
"That was hitting against the spin, but if the bat is straight and the footwork is good you can prosper.
"The other batsmen should take a leaf out of Pietersen and Trott's book: get yourselves in and the runs will come."
