Image Credit- SLC
For the one-off Test match against Afghanistan that
begins on Friday, Sri Lanka has picked uncapped right-arm seamers Chamika
Gunasekara and Milan Rathnayake in their team. Lahiru Udara, the opener, and
Kamindu Mendis, the all-round batsman, are also included.
Pathum Nissanka, who was a member of Sri Lanka’s
previous Test team but hasn’t participated in a test since the middle of 2022,
is left off the list. This squad does not include Dilshan Madushanka, who is
playing in the ILT20 in the United Arab Emirates at the moment. Likewise, with
Kusal Perera.
Under the direction of Upul Tharanga, the new
selection committee for Sri Lanka has announced their first Test team. This
Friday’s game will also mark Dhananjaya de Silva’s debut as captain.
There are no significant surprises elsewhere. As they
did against Pakistan the previous year, Dimuth Karunaratne and Nishan Madushka
are probably going to start the batting. Kusal Mendis is probably going to be
at No. 3, with de Silva, Angelo Mathews, and Dinesh Chandimal batting later
down. Perhaps Sadeera Samarawickrama will don the gloves once more.
Sri Lanka’s main spin options are probably going to be
Prabath Jayasuriya and Ramesh Mendis, while their seam-bowling alternatives
include Asitha Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, and Vishwa Fernando. The roster does
not include left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrama, who made his debut in 2021
and took 11 wickets. Since then, however, he has had less successful
performances.
Gunasekara’s selection is partially due to his strong
performance in the current four-day National Super League (NSL) competition.
Gunasekara has taken eight wickets at an average of 16.5 in two matches played
in the last two weeks. Rathnayake, on the other hand, was selected in light of
a more extensive body of work; he has demonstrated his abilities on the Sri
Lanka A team in the past. Rathnayake has been picked for this second Test team,
even though he hasn’t played for Sri Lanka yet.
Udara, who hasn’t played a Test match either, joins
the team after making an impression recently in the NSL. In the previous two
weeks, he had struck scores of 100 and 72 against a Galle attack that included
Ramesh Mendis and Rathnayake.
Afghanistan are without Rashid Khan for this Test.
This is the first time these teams will play a Test against each other.