COLOMBO: Sri Lanka on Tuesday appointed former Test player Graeme Labrooy as the chief selector, days before their two-Test series against Pakistan begins in the United Arab Emirates later this month.
Labrooy’s appointment comes after a selection panel led by batting great Sanath Jayasuriya resigned en masse following the team’s humiliating 3-0 whitewash at home to India in the recent three-match Test series.
Sri Lanka also went on to lose the five-match One-day International series and the one-off Twenty20 International against India.
The debacle followed their first ODI series defeat by Zimbabwe in July, which prompted Angelo Mathews to step down as captain from all formats.
“The new selectors will begin their term with the selection of the Test squad to take on Pakistan in their tour of United Arab Emirates commencing early next week,” Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement.
The 53-year-old Labrooy played nine Tests for Sri Lanka, taking 27 wickets at an economy rate of 3.31 and also figured 44 ODIs an international career between 1986 and 1992.
Gamini Wickremasinghe, Jeryl Woutersz, Sajith Fernando and Asanka Gurusinha, the former Test batsman and 1996 World Cup winner, who is also the cricket manager, are the other members of the new panel.
The Test series with Pakistan beginning from Sept 28 will see Sri Lanka play their first ever day-and-night game.
The teams are also due to play five One-day Internationals and three Twenty20 Internationals, one of which is tentatively scheduled to be played in Lahore.
Sri Lanka, who leave for Dubai on Sunday, are placed seventh among the 10 Test playing nations and Pakistan sixth.
Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2017
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