COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s skipper Dinesh Chandimal has been sacked and removed from the Test squad for the upcoming two-match series against South Africa, cricket authorities said on Tuesday.

Chandimal, 29, was replaced by senior opener Dimuth Karunaratne, Sri Lanka Cricket said, listing a 17-member squad that did not include the right-handed batsman.

National selectors said in a statement Chandimal was dismissed to help him “regain his form and be ready for future international tours.”

His sudden sacking came a day after he insisted his team could lift their game during their upcoming tour against South Africa, following a thrashing by Australia.

Under Chandimal, Sri Lanka lost the opening day-night Test in Brisbane by an innings and 40 runs inside three days and followed it up with a 366-run thrashing in the Canberra Test.

It extended a dire run of results for troubled Sri Lanka who have been hit by injuries and off-field scandals.

Besides the defeats in Australia, Sri Lanka also recently lost a home Test series to England 3-0 and suffered a 1-0 loss against New Zealand in an away series.

The right-handed Chandimal has played 53 Tests for Sri Lanka in all, racking up 11 centuries and averaging a respectable 41.86. But his omission follows scores of 5, 0, 15, and 4 in the two recent Test losses against Australia.

“We are a young team and we are always learning how to play, especially in these tough conditions. We will bounce back in South Africa,” Chandimal said in Australia. “South Africa is similar to these conditions and with very good bowlers. We know that as a team we have to play in tough conditions and we need to adjust to those conditions and step up as a team.”

Middle-order batsman Roshen Silva and off-spinning all-rounder Dilruwan Perera, who both toured Australia, were also left out of the 17-man squad.

The first Test in South Africa starts on Feb 13, with the squad flying straight there from Australia this week in a gruelling overseas schedule. Eicket-keeper Niroshan Dickwella is the vice-captain for the two-Test series. The squad includes three uncapped players in Batsman Oshada Fernando, seam bowler Mohamed Shiraz, and left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya.

Sri Lanka’s pace attack is depleted because of injuries to Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara, and Nuwan Pradeep.

However, Suranga Lakmal is back after missing the second Test against Australia. Specialist opening batsman Kaushal Silva is also back having missed the Australia series.

All-rounder Milinda Siriwardana was recalled after nearly three years.

The Tests are in Durban from Feb 13 and in Port Elizabeth from Feb 21.

Test squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (captain), Niroshan Dickwella (vice-captain), Lahiru Thirimanne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Milinda Siriwardana, Dhananjaya de Silva, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Chamika Karunaratne, Mohamed Shiraz, Lakshan Sandakan, Lasith Embuldeniya.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2019