Sri Lanka Cricket will have a new shorter formats captain before the ODI Series against India as Current skipper Upul Tharanga set to be replaced, Cricket Age reliably learns. Allrounders Thisara Perera and Asela Gunaratne are the front runners to take over, it has emerged.
According to highly placed sources, Tharanga has also expressed his willingness to give up the Captaincy.
Tharanga took over the role, after Angelo Matthews stepped down after the home series debacle against lower ranked Zimbabwe and test captain Dinesh Chandimal proved a not so good Shorter formats leader. Though, his own batting form prospered during the period, his leadership skills have been criticized by many. In all, he has captained Sri Lanka in 22 ODI matches, and manages only four wins. Under his Captaincy, Sri Lanka have faced whitewash against India and Pakistan in 2017.
According to sources, allrounders Thisara Perera and Asela Gunaratne have emerged the front runners to take over as next shorter formats captain.
Perera, particularly, impressed one and all with his captaincy skills during the recently concluded T20I series against Pakistan. In recent months, his own form, both as a batsman and bowler, has been on upward swing. In the ongoing BPL too, he has been a revelation as an allrounder for his team Rangpur Riders.
Ashela, meanwhile, has been Sri Lanka’s biggest match winner since last one and half year in all three formats of the game. He has fully recovered from his thumb injury, he sustained during the first test against India in August, and recently returned to competitive cricket.
Sri Lanka to play three ODI’s and three T20Is against India. The ODI series will be starting from December 10.
