COLOMBO: Sri Lanka on Sunday dropped the out-of-form top order batsmen Kusal Mendis and Kaushal Silva from the squad for a three-match Test series against India starting in Kolkata next week.

The board brought back all-rounders Dasun Shanaka and Dananjaya de Silva to the squad led by Dinesh Chandimal.

Former skipper and all-rounder Angelo Mathews has recovered from a recurring calf injury and was included in the squad.

During Sri Lanka’s home series against India, the hosts lost all nine games — three Tests, five One-day Internationals and a lone Twenty20 International — between July and September.

After playing the first Test in Kolkata from Nov. 16-20, the teams move to Nagpur for the second, which starts on Nov 24. The final Test will be played in Delhi between Dec 2 and 6.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka named former Test batsman Thilan Samaraweera as the batting coach to groom the national team in the run up to the 2019 World Cup.

The 41-year-old, who retired from Test cricket in 2013, had been a batting consultant for the Bangladesh team. He will join the squad before they leave for India later this week.

Squad: Dinesh Chandimal (captain), Dimuth Karunaratne, Dananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Lahiru Thirimanne, Rangana Herath, Suranga Lakmal, Dilruwan Perera, Lahiru Gamage, Lakshan Sandakan, Vishwa Fernando, Dasun Shanaka, Niroshan Dickwella, Roshen Silva.

Published in Dawn, November 6th, 2017