Photo by Price Zero, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Sri Lanka have reshuffled their squad for the second Test against India in Colombo after Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Mendis were ruled out injured.
Chandimal picked up a concussion during the first Test at Galle, while Mendis was ruled out of the opener with a hamstring issue.
Uncapped players Kamil Mishara and Sahan Arachchige have been added to the squad, both selected after impressive domestic form.
Arachchige earns his call-up after scoring 127 for Sri Lanka A against India A.
Sri Lanka’s pace bowling group for the second Test includes Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando and Milan Ratnayake, with Prabath Jayasuriya and Keshara Nuwantha handling the spin duties.
The changes arrive with Sri Lanka trailing 0-1 in the series after India’s 165-run win at Galle, with opener Pathum Nissanka also out as he recovers from wrist surgery.
The second Test will be played at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo, starting August 23, a venue with different conditions to the spin-friendly pitch used at Galle.
With two experienced middle-order batters unavailable, both uncapped call-ups could find themselves in line for their Test debuts when the Colombo match gets under way.
India go into the Colombo Test already holding a 1-0 lead in the two-match series, meaning a win or draw would be enough to seal a series victory.
The Galle Test was the opening fixture of India’s tour of Sri Lanka, with both sides having fielded largely unchanged squads before the injury disruptions that followed.
Sri Lanka’s selectors have historically leaned on domestic performances to fill sudden squad gaps, a pattern repeated again with the call-ups of Mishara and Arachchige for this Test.
Devdutt Padikkal’s 167 in the first innings at Galle was a maiden Test century, an innings that laid the foundation for India’s eventual 165-run victory.
Photo by Price Zero, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
