After the long scratched horrific show in last eight months, Sri Lanka Cricket Fans finally will have a sigh of relief as SLC is all gearing up for sending a strongest Team for India Tour, Cricket Age has reliably learnt.
One of the main reason for Sri Lanka slump in 2017 so far was the absence of match winning players for the majority of the matches team has played in the year. Former Captain Angelo Mathews, Opener Kusal Perera and Allrounder Asela Gunaratne were the most notable absentees along with Dhammika Prasad, who hasn’t played for Sri Lanka since October 2015. However, according to sources, all these match-winners are ready to join India tour.
“Mathews, Kusal, Asela and Dhammika all have fully recovered from their respective injuries and most probably are ready to join Sri Lanka team to travel India” A Top team official told Cricket Age.
Mathews played in all three formats against India, but sustained a culf injury just before the announcement of Test squad for UAE tour.
Since last one year, Mathews has consistently battling with various injuries. Last October, leg injury had kept him out of the Zimbabwe tour. He was also out of the home test series against Bangladesh, due to hamstring tear.
Kusal Perera hasn’t played for Sri Lanka, since the Champions trophy, where he sustained a hamstring injury during his match winning knock against India. He was all set to return for Pakistan T20Is, and even tipped to captain the side, but failed his fitness test.
Asela Gunaratne had fractured his thumb during the first test against India in July. In last one year, he has emerged as Sri Lanka lost consistent player in all three formats.
Prasad, meanwhile, hasn’t played for Sri Lanka since October 2015, as he has been recovering from a shoulder injury. He has just returned to competitive cricket by participating in marcentile tournament, last week.
Sri Lanka to play three tests, three ODIs and three T20s in 37 days long tour.
The first test will be played at Historic Eden Garden, Kolkata from 16th November. Three match ODI series will be played on 10th, 13th and 17th December. The tour will end up with three t20 matches, as first match is scheduled to be played on 20th December in Cuttack.
