Sri Lanka retain Wellalage in Test squad

by Rex Clementine

Sri Lanka’s selectors retained all-rounder Dunith Wellalage in the squad for the two match Test series against Pakistan that gets underway on Saturday in Galle. An-18 member squad was named for the two Tests and left-arm spinners Lasith Emduldeniya and Praveen Jayawickrama were axed after poor form.

While Embuldeniya was dropped for the second Test against Australia after a poor show in the opening encounter in Galle, Jayawickrama missed the second Test after testing positive for COVID but he had a poor series in Bangladesh.

After Prabath Jayasuriya picked up a record 12 for 177 on debut, the two left-arm spinners were left out and 19-year-old Wellalage was retained in the squad along with Maheesh Theekshana, who debuted last week despite not having played a First Class game for four years. Middle order batsman Dhananjaya de Silva returns to the side after missing the second Test due to COVID. Which batsman will make way for him in the playing eleven remains to be seen. The selectors have a tough choice as Kamindu Mendis played well on debut and compiled a crucial half-century. Mendis had replaced Dhananjaya in the second Test.

The selectors have the option of playing both Mendis and Dhananjaya while leaving out wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella, whose keeping was sloppy missing three stumping chances in the second Test against Australia. He also threw away his wicket when Sri Lanka were fighting hard to get a decent lead to square the series earlier this week. With Chandimal being named as a wicketkeeper for the series, all indications are that the former captain who posted a career best 206 not out in the second Test will be handed the wicketkeeping gloves. The teams will move to Colombo for the second Test as RPS will host its first Test match in five years.

Sri Lanka are number seven in official ICC rankings, just behind sixth placed Pakistan. If Sri Lanka win the series 2-0, they will move up to number six. Even a 1-0 series win is sufficient for Dimuth Karunaratne’s side to move up in rankings.

Former captain Angelo Mathews will feature in his 100 th Test match in the second Test at RPS.

Squad:Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), Pathum Nissanka, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kamindu Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Ramesh Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Prabath Jayasuriya, Dunith Wellalage, Jeffrey Vandersay.