Sri Lanka pack Squad with Five Frontline Spinners for Upcoming Test Series Against England

Cricketnext Staff | Updated: September 27, 2018, 3:25 PM IST

Sri Lanka have announced their Test squad for their upcoming home series against England, with left-arm spinner Malinda Pushpakumara and opening batsman Kaushal Silva having earned recalls.

Kaushal last played a Test for Sri Lanka in October last year, but has since been consistent at the domestic level and even scored 76 recently against the visiting South African team. He replaces Danushka Gunathilaka, who is still recovering from a back injury sustained before the Asia Cup.

Pushpakumara joins a group of four other spinners in the squad, with Rangana Herath, Lakshan Sandakan, Dilruwan Perera and Akila Dananjaya being the others.

Angleo Mathews was also included in the Test squad, after he was earlier removed from limited-overs captaincy and dropped for Sri Lanka’s ODIs against England due to fitness issues. Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara and Kasun Rajitha are the pacers in the squad.

Sri Lanka will take on England in three Test matches, with the first one starting on November 6 in Galle.

Squad: Dinesh Chandimal (capt.), Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella, Dhananjaya de Silva, Roshen Silva, Dilruwan Perera, Rangana Herath, Malinda Pushpakumara, Akila Dananjaya, Suranga Lakmal, Kasun Rajitha, Lakshan Sandakan, Lahiru Kumara (subject to fitness).