Sri Lanka name 14-man Test squad

Opening batsman Upul Tharanga looks the favourite to replace recently retired Marvan Atapattu at the top of the Sri Lankan batting line-up after he was named in the squad to face England.

Tharanga made 112 in the tour match against England to catapult himself into contention for a place in the starting XI on December 1.

Muttiah Muralitharan’s spin partner will be legspinner Malinga Bandara, although it appears doubtful captain Mahela Jayawardene will opt for two frontline spinners in the side. Especially with first Test being at Kandy where the pitch is the most likeliest of the three venues to assist pace bowling.

A new addition to the seam bowling department is left-armer Sujeewa de Silva, who will join Lasith Malinga, Chaminda Vaas, and Dilhara Fernando as the pacemen in the squad.

De Silva has three Test appearances to his name, all of which have been played against Bangladesh, twice in 2002 and he played them again in July of this year, and performed solidly if unspectacularly.

Dilhara Fernando has been cleared to play in this series despite injury concerns surrounding his long term ankle problem. He will have surgery to eradicate the troublesome spot next year.

“Dilhara has had that ankle problem for quite some time,” said Jayawardene. “He saw a specialist in Australia who has recommended an operation for him, probably for early April when we get a decent break. He had an injection just before we left Australia, so he should be fine for this series.”

One player not so fortunate to make this series is Farveez Maharoof, who was ruled out following a stress fracture of his ankle that he picked up on the tour in Australia.

Squad

Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Michael Vandort, Chamara Silva, Jehan Mubarak, Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Dilhara Fernando, Lasith Malinga, Malinga Bandara, Sujeewa de Silva.