It has, at various moments of this tour, seemed as if this is the Test series that time forgot.
It doesn't have the history of the Ashes; it doesn't have the audience of contests against India and, for the first few weeks, there was more talk about rain than runs. The number of travelling England supporters has also halved since the last tour here and world cricket's headlines have been dominated instead by the Women's World T20 and Cricket Australia's apparently endless desire to rip itself apart.
Entertaining while those both those things are, it would be a shame if events in Sri Lanka were overlooked.
For England could be on the verge of something quietly significant here. They have not won a series in Asia since 2012, after all. And, excluding victories over a Bangladesh side that was still finding its feet in Test cricket, they haven't won any series in Asia - other than that 2012 miracle against India - since 2001. Quite often, they've barely come second.
But, over the next few days, they have a chance to change that.
They will have to confront one of their longest-standing demons if they are to do so. They were somewhat fortunate to avoid a trial by spin in Galle, but Sri Lanka won't make the same mistake again. While 84 of the 93 overs England faced in the second innings were still bowled by spinners, the pitch never offered them the extreme assistance that had been anticipated. Rain had hampered pitch preparation and meant that it started slightly damp. While it provided slow turn, the bounce was true. Trevor Bayliss admitted he was a little "relieved" when he first saw it.
That is not an issue this time. The pitch, unashamedly prepared to exploit England's eternal weakness, is drier than a Theresa May anecdote. While Root turned up in Kandy with a mind to play an extra seamer - the ground has a reputation for providing a bit more assistance for seamers - that plan was soon abandoned. Root argued that the ground's reputation was built, in part, on what has happened in ODI cricket. Without floodlights and dew, he felt there wouldn't be so much assistance for seamers. And besides, with James Anderson, Sam Curran and Ben Stokes - who is bowling as quickly as he ever has at present - he may feel he has most bases covered.
So, England will maintain the trio of spinners who, in Galle at least, added up to more than the sum of their parts. Adil Rashid can be used as an attacking option while Moeen Ali and Jack Leach can either be rotated or bowl in tandem. And, if they bowl with the discipline they displayed in Galle, they are likely to test the patience of the Sri Lanka batsmen. It's an attack blessed with some depth and variation and probably the best spin combination England have had since the days of Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann.
But England will also have to bat against spin. And the fact that they have another new No. 3, an opening pair in their second Test together and that they were bailed out in the first innings in Galle by a debutant at No. 7 and 20-year-old Sam Curran at No. 8 suggests there is room for improvement there.
Root has claimed the team are fortunate they have so many people who could bat at No. 3. Evidence suggests, however, that is wishful thinking. For if they had anyone who had excelled in the position, they would still be in it. He also claims the team's flexibility is one of its strengths. But while he has urged his players to embrace that flexibility, it is noticeable that he is pretty committed to that No. 4 role.
There's no reason Stokes shouldn't excel at No. 3. While he is probably not the sort of impact player who should be rated too rigorously by averages - he claimed only one wicket in the second innings in Galle yet played a huge role in softening up the Sri Lanka middle-order - the fact that his Test batting average is just 33.90 is a travesty. By taking on the responsibility to bat for time as much as effect, he can improve that markedly. He has the talent, the temperament and the technique to shine.
Either way, England will have few better opportunities to win in Asia than this. This Sri Lanka team, while talented, is nowhere near what it was a few years ago. All the spin camps, all the Lions tours and placements, all the consultants and coaches: it all comes down to this. England, a work in progress though they may be, have an opportunity to achieve something quite special in the next few days.