DICKWELLA, GUNARATNE IN SL TEST SQUAD
Niroshan Dickwella and Asela Gunaratne have been rewarded with Test call ups for the two-match series against Bangladesh following their recent success in the limited over series in South Africa and Australia respectively.
However, there were no places for Kaushal Silva and Kusal Perera who were part of the last series owing to their poor form domestically and internationally.
Both Dickwella and Gunaratne were not part of the Test Squad that toured South Africa but did remarkably well in the limited over series in South Africa and in Australia.
Dickwella, who has been effective at the top of the order won the Man-ofseries award in the T20 series in South Africa while Gunartne led Sri Lanka single handedly to win the three-match T20 series 2-1 against Australia.
In addition, he also scored his maiden ODI century during the fifth and final ODI in South Africa.in Kaushal’s absence Dickwella will open the batting with Dimuth Karunaratne who has been retained in the side largely due to his 212 for Sri Lanka ‘A’ against the England Lions.
The team captained by Rangana Herath in the absence of injured Skipper Angelo Mathews also includes Dinesh Chandimal who has been a pale shadow of himself during the recent South African series where he struggled to score a solitary half century in 14 innings.
Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva have been retained, even though their recent exploits have been hardly impressive. With Dhammika Prasad is still nursing injury and Dushmantha Chameera yet to return to his best form following a stress fracture, Sri Lanka have persisted with the same fast bowlers that toured South Africa.
Led by Suranga Lakmal, the fast bowling quartet includes Nuwan Pradeep, Lahiru Kumara and Vikum Sanjaya.sri Lanka have also named four spinners in the side with Rangana Herath leading the pack which includes, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan and debutant Malinda Pushpakumara.
Herath however admitted that a chance of Pushpakumara making his debut looked remote.
“I am a leg-spinner and also the skipper and so there’s very little chance of him playing in the side but he has been very impressive and experience cricketer having taken over 500 wickets in First-class cricket.
“He has got the break at the right time and I am sure he will be a good asset to Sri Lanka cricket in time to come,” said Herath at a press conference held at hotel Taj Samudra last evening. The series is very much important for Bangladesh as they will play their 100th Test during the series and visiting Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim believes they have a very good chance to challenge the Sri Lankans.
“Probably,” he said. “But they played a very good series against Australia at home. I would say they are inexperience but they are playing in their home conditions and so it’s not going to be easy. But we have got a couple of experienced players in the side and hopefully we will play positive cricket,” said Rahim.
Chandika Hathurusinghe - the former Sri Lanka opener and Shadow Coach said that his charges are preparing their best for the series.
“Like Sri Lanka in the 90’s, Bangladesh is playing their best cricket at the moment and are ready to take the next step. So we are preparing ourselves to the best for the series,” he said adding that it was always an incentive to come back to Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka will play Bangladesh in two Tests starting on March 7 in Galle before hosting them for three ODIS and two T20 Internationals.
Sri Lanka Squad: Rangana Herath (Captain), Dimuth Karunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Upul Tharanga, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Asela Gunarathne, Dinesh Chandimal, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Pradeep, Vikum Sanjaya Bandara, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan and Malinda Pushpakumara.