The opening of a two-match Test series between Sri Lanka and Ireland will start on April 16 in Galle without wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella, who was left off of their 15-man team. As suitable wicketkeepers, they have mentioned Nishan Madushka and Sadeera Samarawickrama.
According to news reports, fast bowlers Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara, as well as Asitha Fernando, Oshada Fernando, and Chamika Karunaratne, have all been rested among the Sri Lankan players who participated in the team’s most recent Test assignment, the two-match series in New Zealand.
Since Sri Lanka is playing at home and there is expected to be a greater emphasis on spin bowling, left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya has been called back to the team. A leg spinner without experience, Dushan Hemantha, was also called up.
Madushka made his debut in the second Test of Sri Lanka’s recent tour of New Zealand, which took place in Wellington. Dickwella, who had made 7 and 0 in the first Test in Christchurch, was replaced. Dickwella has a 54-test average, but in his past eight innings, he has just once scored more than 15 runs.
Samarawickrama has been out of the Test team for some time; his final of four Test matches, which he played completely as a specialist batsmen, was in December 2017.
Before the tour was extended to add a second Test, Ireland’s plan originally called for them to visit Sri Lanka for one Test and two ODIs.
Despite having a remote possibility of reaching the World Test Championship final at the beginning of that tour, In the past twelve months, Sri Lanka played eight Test matches, and there was more than six months between their home series against Australia and their visit to New Zealand.
After this series, Dimuth Karunaratne had indicated to the selectors that he intended to step down as captain of Sri Lanka, but he had received no answer. Karunaratne will lead his team in the two Test matches against Ireland. Despite not being a part of the WTC cycle, the series will wrap up Sri Lanka’s scheduled games within that time.
The first test will start on April 16 and the second test will start on April 24, both of which will take place in Galle.
Sri Lanka squad for first Test against Ireland: Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kamindu Mendis, Nishan Madusha (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Dushan Hemantha, Lasith Embuldeniya, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Milan Rathnayake
Ireland squad for first Test against Sri Lanka: Andrew Balbirnie (Capt), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Murray Commins, George Dockrell, Fionn Hand, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Tom Mayes, Andrew McBrine, James McCollum, Paul Stirling*, PJ Moor, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White.