Colombo: Sri Lanka have dropped batsmen Kusal Mendis and Kaushal Silva from the squad for the three-Test series in India, starting next week, while fit-again all-rounder Angelo Mathews has returned from injury.
Seamer Nuwan Pradeep was also omitted from the side that beat Pakistan 2-0 in the UAE with all-rounders Dhananjaya de Silva and Dasun Shanaka drafted into the 15-man squad for the series against the world’s top-ranked Test team.
Widely regarded as Sri Lanka’s future batting mainstay in the longest format, Mendis totalled just 58 in four innings against Pakistan. Silva also had an underwhelming series and managed 67 runs in the two Tests.
Former captain Mathews missed the series against Pakistan with a calf strain and will add some experience and solidity to the middle order against India, who blanked Sri Lanka 3-0 in the away series earlier this year.
Kolkata’s Eden Garden will hosts the opening match of the three-Test series, which will be followed by three One Day Internationals and as many Twenty20 matches between the neighbours.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka announced on Sunday it was contracting former Test batsman Thilan Samaraweera as the batting coach to groom the national team in the run up to the 2019 World Cup.
The 41-year-old Samaraweera, who retired from Test cricket in 2013, had been a batting consultant for the Bangladesh team, Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement.
“SLC announces today the recruitment of former Sri Lankan right hand batsman Thilan Samaraweera as batting coach to the national team for a period of three years,” it said.
Samaraweera is due to join the Sri Lanka squad before they leave for India later this week.
Sri Lanka currently has an interim head coach — South African Nic Pothas — who took the place of Graham Ford after he quit in June, midway through a 45-month contract.
Sri Lanka has had a dismal record recently losing all nine international games during a home series against India between July and September.
They won a two-match Test series against Pakistan, but lost all five one-day internationals and the three T20 matches last month.
