COLOMBO: Dimuth Karun­aratne will lead Sri Lanka’s 18-man squad for the two-match Test series against Australia, which starts next week in Galle, the island nation’s cricket board said on Saturday.

The first Test starts on June 29 and the second will be from July 8, with both played next to the southern city’s picturesque fort.

The Australian tour of the island began earlier this month with three T20 matches, a series the tourists won 2-1.

A five-match ODI series was won by the hosts 3-2.

Australia added all-rounder Glen Maxwell as an option for the Test series while teammate Travis Head recovers from a minor hamstring strain.

Maxwell said his baggy green has seen better days but he expects to make the Test team thanks to his subcontinent playing experience.

Maxwell, who has played just seven Tests in his decade-long career, hit a match-winning 80 in the opening ODI.

But the Melbourne-born Maxwell, who is a big-hitter, handy off-spinner and an outstan­ding fielder, said the Australian Test cap he was given on his debut in 2013 is in terrible shape.

“I’m glad I didn’t bring it because it has completely disintegrated, so I’m going to have to get a new one for this Test tour,” the 33-year-old said.

“I took it out last year and had a look at it, it was deteriorating and I thought that wasn’t a good sign,” he added. “My wife took it out yesterday and said, ‘I don’t think I can bring this.’”

Maxwell, who made a Test century in India five years ago, said his ability to tackle spin goes in his favour on Sri Lanka’s turning pitches and on South Asian tours in general.

“I think I bring a lot of experience playing in these sorts of conditions and be able to tackle good spin bowling in tough conditions,” said Maxwell.

He added that playing in the Indian Premier League — for Royal Challengers Bangalore — during the coronavirus pandemic also prepared him for extreme spin pitches.

“I think training in IPL so regularly... being in a bubble during IPL really helped, because there was no travel, so we had more time for training sessions,” he said.

“Training wickets were extre­mely tired, they were spinning big, they were inconsistent and it was brilliant practice. That helped me coming into this series.”

Sri Lanka squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kamindu Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Dinesh Chandimal, Ramesh Mendis, Chamika Karunaratne, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lasith Embuldeniya and Jeffrey Vandersay.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2022