New faces in Sri Lanka test squad for WI series
October 10, 2015 05:31 pm
Batting all-rounder Milinda Siriwardana and 20-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman Kusal Mendis are the 2 new faces named in Sri Lanka’s squad for the two-Test series against West Indies.
Siriwardana has so far played 5 ODIS making his debut recently against Pakistan and scored 121 runs at an average of 30.25 with a highest of 52 not out. His inclusion was expected.
The surprise selection is that of wicketkeeper batsmen Kusal Mendis. Mendis’ recent performances in the Moin-ud-Dowlah tournament in India, where he captained the Sri Lanka Development XI, had helped push him into Test contention, chief selector Kapila Wijegunawardana said.
Mendis hit 156, 52 and 47 in his three innings in the tournament. “Kusal Mendis has been on our radar for a while,” Wijegunawardana said. “We felt that he earned a spot in the Test squad with the way he has been batting, and the way he batted on the recent tour to India. All the selectors have assessed his skill levels to be quite good and are backing him.”
These two new faces replace Upul Tharanga and Jehan Mubarak from the squad that was selected for the test series against India.
The first Test begins in Galle on October 14, before the teams move to the P Sara Oval for the second encounter.
Sri Lanka Test squad Angelo Mathews (capt), Lahiru Thirimanne (vice-capt), Kaushal Silva, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Perera, Milinda Siriwardana, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera, Tharindu Kaushal, Dhammika Prasad, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera.
