Jayasuriya axed from Test team

Veteran Sanath Jayasuriya has been sacked from the the Sri Lanka Test team, which will contest three Test matches against India in December. Poor form and a shoulder injury have combined to bring a decision by the selectors which some feel has been a long time coming.

Jayasuriya, 36, has scored just 85 runs in his 6 innings in the current One Day International series against the Indians, and has subsequently been axed from the Test team for the first time in ten years.

Since he debuted in 1991, Jayasuriya has played exactly 100 Test matches for Sri Lanka. He has scored 6580 runs at an average of 42.17, with 14 hundreds and a best of 340 – scored against Indian in 1997. Over the course of his last 5 Test matches, however, Jayasuriya made just 136 runs in 8 inning, averaging 17.37, with no ventury past the half-century mark.

Also missing out on the squad are Russel Arnold, Upul Chandana, Nuwan Zoysa and Dilhara Lokuhettige, whilst Chaminda Vaas has taken over from Mahela Jayawardene as the deputy to Marvan Atapattu. Sajeeva Weerakoon and Chamara Kapugedara are the new names in the squad, and recalls were granted to Avishka Gunawardene, Malinga Bandara and Lasith Malinga.

The first Test begins on December 2, in Chennai.

Sri Lanka 15-man Test party:
Marvan Atapattu (capt), Chaminda Vaas (vice-capt), Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Thilan Samaraweera, Upul Tharanga, Avishka Gunawardene, Chamara Kapugedera, Dilhara Fernando, Lasith Malinga, Farveez Maharoof, Muttiah Muralitharan, Malinga Bandara, Sajeewa Weerakoon