Sri Lanka selectors, who declared Angelo Mathews unfit on Sunday (that too without having a fitness test) and didn’t pick him in the ODI squad on that basis, have included him for the three match test series against England. Malinda Pushpkumara is another notable inclusion in the squad, after been ignored for last few test series.
Kusal Mendis, Suranga Lakmal and Dilruwan Perera, all who have been dropped from the ODI squad, have been included in the test squad.
On Sunday, Mathews was removed as shorter formats captain after horrendous Asia Cup campaign, where team knocked out with heavy defeats against Bangladesh and Afghanistan. After news of his removal from the ODI squad came out, an angry Angelo Mathews immediately asked selectors for a fitness test. However, it seems now selectors thinks that he is unfit for shorter formats and is fit only for the test matches!
England to play five ODIs, one off T20 and three tests during their tour of Sri Lanka. First ODI to be played Dambula on October 10.
Test Squad :
1. Dinesh Chandimal – Captain
2. Dimuth Karunaratne
3. Kaushal Silva
4. Kusal Mendis
5. Angelo Mathews
6. Dhananjaya De Silva
7. Roshen Silva
8. Dilruwan Perera
9. Rangana Herath
10. Malinda Pushpakumara
11. Akila Dananjaya
12. Suranga Lakmal
13. Kasun Rajitha
14. Lahiru Kumara (subject to fitness)
15. Lakshan Sandakan
16. Niroshan Dickwella
Standby players
1. Dushmantha Chameera
2. Lahiru Thirimanne
3. Jeffrey Vandersay
4. Kusal Janith Perera
5. Nishan Peiris
