Unavailable for selection were Pathum Nissanka, who continues to recover from a wrist surgery, and Kusal Mendis, who is out with a hamstring injury. It is Kusal’s absence that has opened up a spot for Dickwella to make a comeback at age 33. Sooriyabandara too keeps his place in the squad partly due to Nissanka’s absence, although Nishan Madushka and Lahiru Udara are likely to open the batting, having done so in Sri Lanka’s most-recent Test.
Sri Lanka have also unusually selected no fewer than four specialist quicks for a home series, with allrounder Milan Rathnayaka adding a fifth seam-bowling option. Asitha Fernando is almost certain to play, but Sri Lanka also have Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, and Madushanka to pick from.
Only three front-line spinners have been picked. Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya is Sri Lanka’s lead slow bowler, but may play alongside either uncapped Nuwantha, or Ramesh Mendis. Sonal Dinusha – the left-arm spinning allrounder – is also in Sri Lanka’s 16.
On the batting front, Sri Lanka’s selections are more predictable. Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, and Dhananjaya de Silva are likely to bat at Nos 3, 4 and 5. Allrounders Dinusha, Ramesh Mendis, and Rathnayaka will be in the running to be selected lower down, with Dickwella likely to bat at No. 6 or 7.
Nuwantha, 25, had impressed in a Sri Lanka A match against India A in Galle last month, taking 5 for 159 in the first innings. In the last week, he also returned with match figures of 3 for 97 against India in the tour match in Colombo. He is inexperienced even in domestic cricket however, with only 15 first-class appearances and 64 wickets to his name.
Madushanka, meanwhile, has almost exclusively played T20 cricket in the past two months, and had not played the Sri Lanka four-day domestic tournament this year, or in any multi-day Sri Lanka A fixtures. His last Test was his debut against Pakistan in 2023, and he is yet to take a wicket in Tests.
The first Test begins in Galle on Saturday, before the series moves to the SSC in Colombo on August 23 for its conclusion.
Dhananjaya De Silva (capt), Lahiru Udara, Nishan Madushka, Kamindu Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Sonal Dinusha, Niroshan Dickwella, Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Keshara Nuwantha, Milan Rathnayaka, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka
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