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The Sri Lanka National Cricket Team is set to host India National Cricket Team, for a two-match Test series starting from August 15. Ahead of the first Test match at Galle, the Island nation have announced the squad for the forthcoming two match series. There have been some big names missing due to respective injuries.
The hosts will play the first Test at Galle International Stadium, in Galle. It is the first Test series between the two nation after the gap of 9 years. The last time India visited Sri Lanka was back in 2017 when Virat Kohli was the captain and sealed the series as they completely dominated the home side and won 3-0.
Dhananjay de Silva named as captain for first Test
Dhananjay de Silva is going to led the side in the first Test match. The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) only announced the squad for the first game and not for the whole series. With Kamindu Mendis is going to Silva’s deputy for the first Test match. They will look to have a bright start to the series.
With some senior cricketers missing the first Test Dhananjay de Silva will have to take the responsibility and guide the side in the first game. He has led his team in 16 Test matches, securing 7 wins and suffering 7 losses and has drawn 2 games with a win percentage of 43.75%. Though his experience is less he will look to learn from his mistakes.
Kasun Rajitha and Isitha Wijesundara dropped
Kasun Rajitha and Isitha Wijesundara the two fast bowling all-rounders have been dropped from the first game. Both cricketers have been in poor form the latter took part in the warm-up game against India as he could not pick up a single wicket in both innings as he finished the game with the figures of 0/51 and 0/9.
Kasun Rajitha has also not played a single Test match post the West Indies series, where he failed in June. The all-rounder did not feature in the warm-up game against the Men in Blue. Hopefully he will make a comeback in Colombo as the Lankan Lions only announced the squad for the first game.
Senior Sri Lanka batters ruled out
Two of the key Sri Lanka batters Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis both were ruled out of the first Test match. Nissanka had a wrist injury which had made him out of the squad for the first India vs Sri Lanka Test series. Hopefully he will be back in the squad for the second match.
As the latter was ruled out of the series after he sustained a right hamstring injury while batting for Colombo Kaps in a Lanka Premier League (LPL) match at the SSC ground in Colombo on July 19 and has been doing rehabilitation at the National High Performance Centre.
With Mendis being absent Niroshan Dickwella has got a recall to the Test squad after three years. As Sri Lanka has named a pace attack in the form of Milan Rathnayake, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka.
Sri Lanka squad: Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Lahiru Udara, Nishan Madushka, Kamindu Mendis (vc), Dinesh Chandimal, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Sonal Dinusha, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Keshara Nuwantha, Milan Rathnayake, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka.
