Fast bowler Kasun Rajitha and left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya have returned as Sri Lanka named a 17-man Test squad for their upcoming two-match series against South Africa. Rajitha was sidelined during Sri Lanka’s 2-0 home series victory over New Zealand due to conditions favoring spinners but made a comeback following a productive stint.
Although he didn’t feature in the XI during Sri Lanka’s tour of England in August, Rajitha’s last Test outing against Bangladesh in Sylhet saw him claim an impressive eight wickets. He also played a key role in Sri Lanka’s historic 2-0 Test series win in South Africa in 2019, picking up nine wickets to emerge as the second-highest wicket-taker of the series.
Embuldeniya’s return marks the end of a two-year hiatus from Test cricket, with his last appearance being the 2022 Galle Test against Australia. Despite modest performances in that match and subsequent domestic struggles, the left-arm spinner showcased improvement during the 2023/24 National Super League 4-Day Tournament. Representing Kandy, Embuldeniya claimed 17 wickets, helping his team secure a runner-up finish.
The duo replaces all-rounder Ramesh Mendis and spinner Jeffrey Vandersay, who were part of the squad for the New Zealand series. The rest of the squad remains consistent, featuring experienced batters such as Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, and Oshada Fernando. Wicketkeeper-batters Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, and Sadeera Samarawickrama provide flexibility, while skipper Dhananjaya de Silva leads the squad alongside all-rounders Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, and Milan Rathnayake.
The bowling department is equally balanced, with Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, and Rajitha leading the pace attack. Prabath Jayasuriya, who won the Player of the Series against New Zealand, will share the spin duties alongside Nishan Peiris and Embuldeniya. The series, beginning November 29 at Kingsmead in Durban, holds significant stakes as both teams aim to secure crucial WTC points for a berth in the final. The second Test will be played at St. George’s Park in Gqeberha.
SRI LANKA SQUAD FOR SA SERIES: Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Oshada Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Prabath Jayasuriya, Nishan Peiris, Lasith Embuldeniya, Milan Rathnayake, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha
