SL big guns return for India T20s

By Madushka Balasuriya

Only six players have been retained in Sri Lanka’s T20I squad to face India next week from the one that faced Pakistan last time out, as several first team players - left out of the last squad after their refusal to travel to Lahore over safety concerns - made their way back into the team.

Dilshan Munaweera, Ashan Priyanjan, Mahela Udawatte, Minod Bhanuka, Vikum Sanjaya, Lahiru Gamage, Seekkuge Prasanna, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay have all been left out, though most were fringe players, with captain Thisara Perera, batsmen Danushka Gunathilaka and Sadeera Samarawickrama, allrounders Dasun Shanaka and Chaturanga de Silva, and fast bowler Vishwa Fernando the only survivors.

Sri Lanka Cricket made a point of mentioning that Lasith Malinga had been rested for the tour, though no such rationalisation was granted over the exclusion of the in-form Suranga Lakmal, who was part of the last full strength T20I side that played India in a one-off match in Sri Lanka earlier this year. However, as SLC have been actively enforcing a rotation policy for their pacemen, it is likely the move is a means of managing his workload.

Elsewhere the returns of Kusal Perera, Niroshan Dickwella, Upul Tharanga, Asela Gunaratne, and Angelo Mathews will offer some much needed stability to a batting line-up that was found wanting several times against Pakistan. 

However Sri Lanka’s pace department is lacking a little in experience, as without Lakmal or Malinga, Nuwan Pradeep will be charged with spearheading the green pair of Fernando and Dushmantha Chameera - who is just making his way back from injury. As such the part-time medium pace of Mathews, Shanaka and Gunaratne is sure to play a major role in Sri Lanka’s game plans.

Akila Dananjaya meanwhile returns to the squad as the teams sole specialist spinner, meaning that there is no room in the squad for Jeffrey Vandersay, with allrounders Sachith Pathirana and Chaturanga the only other spin bowling options in the squad.

Sri Lanka face India in three T20Is starting 20 December.