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Sri Lanka cricketer Lahiru Thirimanne with his pregnant wife Rukshani and son Livaan
Sri Lanka opener Lahiru Thirimanne, the fourth highest run-scorer in Test cricket for 2021, will miss the two-Test series against West Indies starting in Galle on Sunday.
Thirimanne has been given six months paternity leave by Sri Lanka Cricket to be with his wife who has given birth to their second child, a daughter, in Melbourne, Australia.
The durable left-hander went to Australia with his family to play for Mulgrave Cricket Club in the ongoing suburban cricket season in Melbourne. Mulgrave CC is captained and coached by two former Sri Lanka captains – Tillakaratne Dilshan and Sanath Jayasuriya respectively.
Thirimanne posted on Facebook: “Seen some articles that I’m retiring from Sri Lanka cricket and wanted to clarify that I have no intentions of retiring as I feel I’m in a very good space in my career right now. But unfortunately, I will be missing West Indies test series due to the fact that we as a family are welcoming a newborn at this time. But I will be back in Sri Lanka colors asap. Thanks for the well-wishers. See you soon guys.”
Thirimanne’s absence in the Test series will be a big blow for Sri Lanka as he has been in good nick this year scoring 659 runs at 50.69 and two centuries against England and Bangladesh and forming a reliable opening partnership with his captain Dimuth Karunaratne. The pair put on a double century stand (209) in Sri Lanka’s last Test against Bangladesh played at Pallekele in May where Thirimanne’s contribution was a sturdy 140.
Thirimanne’s absenteeism would mean that Karunaratne will have to forge a new opening partnership for the West Indies series with either Kamil Mishara who has been named in the 22-member Test squad for the series or Pathum Nissanka.
Uncapped Mishara with two scores of 98 in each of the two 4-day unofficial tests against a strong Pakistan ‘A’ fast bowling attack could be a strong candidate for the spot. Nissanka who had a successful stint as opener in the recently concluded T20 World Cup in the UAE with three 50s is the other, although in Tests his batting position has always been at number six.
The series will see the return to international cricket of senior players Karunaratne, Angelo Mathews and Suranga Lakmal who were side-lined from white ball cricket and were in the centre of the disputed performance based player central contract.
The squad also includes four other uncapped players Charith Asalanka and Chamika Karunaratne who performed well in the T20 World Cup, leg-spinner Suminda Lakshan and right-arm fast bowler Chamika Gunasekara who played for Sri Lanka ‘A’ in the unofficial test series against Pakistan ‘A’ and wicket-keeper/batsman Minod Bhanuka.
Bhanuka or Dinesh Chandimal will keep wickets in the absence of Niroshan Dickwella who is currently undergoing a one-year suspension from international cricket.
Middle order batsmen Oshada Fernando, Dhananjaya de Silva and Roshen Silva, spinners Lasith Embuldeniya, Praveen Jayawickrama, Ramesh Mendis and Lakshan Sandakan, and fast bowlers Vishwa Fernando, Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara and Asitha Fernando complete the squad.
The Sri Lanka cricket team is housed at the Le Grand in Galle and the West Indies at the Jetwing Lighthouse in Galle.
With the weather showing some improvement, the Lankan cricketers had a practice session on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Galle International Cricket Stadium, venue for the two Test matches starting on 21 and 29 November.
Manuja Kariyapperuma who first took over as manager of the national cricket team for the tour of Bangladesh in April will continue in the same role for the West Indies series as well.
Sri Lanka Test Squad v West Indies: Dimuth Karunaratne (Captain), Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Minod Bhanuka, Kamil Mishara, Roshen Silva, Ramesh Mendis, Chamika Karunaratne, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lasith Embuldeniya, Lakshan Sandakan, Suminda Lakshan, Suranga Lakmal, Vishwa Fernando, Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando, and Chamika Gunasekara. (ST)
