SL makes four changes for Windies Tests

Sri Lanka has picked uncapped promising batsman Kusal Mendis along with allrounder Milinda Siriwardena into a squad to take on the West Indies in the two Test matches the first of which starts in the port city of Galle on Wednesday.

The two Test hopefuls join recalled players in off-spinning allrounder Dilruwan Perera and fast bowler Suranga Lakmal who did not feature in the last Test series against India which Sri Lanka lost 2-1.

Out from the team are batsmen Jehan Mubarak and Upul Tharanga.

Mendis, 20, is a product of Prince of Wales College Moratuwa and nudged the selectors during a recent series in India where he captained a Sri Lanka Development X1 and made scores of 156, 52 and 47 in three innings.

He also captained the Sri Lanka Under-19 team at last year’s Youth World Cup and is seen as one of the most promising young batsmen in the country.

Siriwardena at 29 is no stranger to the Sri Lanka team, although he is yet to make his Test debut, after he showed his hitting potential in the recent ODI series against India. He hails from Kalutara.

Dilruwan Perera has been recalled as an obvious cover for off-spinner Tharindu Kaushal who has been banned from bowling his so-called ‘doosra’ ball which goes away from right hand batsmen.

He will have to now stick to his orthodox off-spinners which move into the batsman and is a regular and common ball.

Suranga Lakmal joins Dhammika Prasad, Nuwan Pradeep Fernando and Chameera Dushmantha as the pace bowling foursome.

Sri Lanka Test squad: Angelo Mathews (captain), Lahiru Thirimanne, Kaushal Silva, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Perera, Milinda Siriwardena, Kusal Mendis, Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera, Tharindu Kaushal, Dhammika Prasad, Nuwan Pradeep Fernando, Suranga Lakmal and Dushmantha Chameera.