Sri Lanka Cricket announced the squad to take on Zimbabwe in the only Test of the tour scheduled to begin on the 14th of July.
Mathews’ successors named
Dinesh Chandimal has been named skipper of Sri Lanka’s Test team after Angelo Mathews…
Dinesh Chandimal was named skipper of the Test team following the resignation of Angelo Mathews and will lead the team in red-ball cricket for the very first time in the Test against Zimbabwe.
Th team consists of 6 batsmen, 6 bowlers and 3 all-rounders, however it remains to be seen if former skipper Mathews will be included in the team as a pure batsman.
From the squad that took on Bangladesh earlier this year, Dhananjaya De Silva, Nuwan Pradeep, Vikum Sanjaya and Malinda Pushpakumara have made way for Angelo Mathews, Dushmantha Chameera, Vishwa Fernando and Danushka Gunathilake.
Dhanushka Gunathilake has been called up to the national Test set up after a stellar performance in the recently concluded ODI series against Zimbabwe where he made 323 runs in 5 games. It remains to be seen if he will slot into the playing XI. He has relatively modest First Class average of 31.77 but is quite a useful off spinner.
Chameera and Fernando have returned to the squad at the expense Nuwan Pradeep, who sustained an injury during the 4th ODI against Zimbabwe in Hambanthota, and Vikum Sanjaya, who is yet to make his Test debut.
Chameera has played 6 Tests so far, with his last appearance being against South Africa in Port Elizabeth late last year. It was not a pleasant return to Tests for Chameera as he returned with figures of 0/68 and 1/85 in the game which Sri Lanka lost by 206 runs.
Left armer Vishwa Fernando played his one and only Test against Australia in Galle last year and bowled just two overs and registered figures of 2/16. Sri Lanka went on to win the game by 229 runs.
Angelo Mathews was unavailable for the series against Bangladesh due to injury and has returned in place of Dhananjaya De Silva. It remains to be seen if Mathews will bowl as he did seem to be carrying a niggle during the recently concluded ODI series.
Full Squad:
Dinesh Chandimal, Upul Tharanga, Rangana Herath, Angelo Mathews, Dimuth Karunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Mendis, Asela Gunaratne, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Dushmantha Chameera, Danushka Gunathilake, Vishwa Fernando
