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COLOMBO: Sri Lanka left out fast bowler Lasith Malinga as well as all-rounder Angelo Mathews and named four uncapped players Wednesday in a 16-member Test squad for the upcoming tour of England.
Sri Lanka play three Tests, five one-dayers and one Twenty20 international during the tour starting on May 14.
Malinga, who last played a Test in August last year, was ignored despite being in top form during the recent World Cup. He is currently playing in the Indian Premier League for Mumbai Indians.
A five-member selection panel gave call-ups to Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal, Thisara Perera and Nuwan Pradeep, all of whom are yet to play in Tests.
“Thirimanne and Chandimal are promising young batsmen who have already played one-day games,” chief selector Duleep Mendis told reporters.
The squad includes four fast bowlers in Dilhara Fernando, Chanaka Welegedara, Suranga Lakmal and Pradeep.
“Fernando is the most exposed fast bowler out of the lot. The others are being tried out to gain experience of bowling on fast English wickets,” Mendis said.
Seamer Nuwan Kulasekara, who played in Sri Lanka’s previous Test series against West Indies, was also left out of the squad, which will be led by new captain Tillakaratne Dilshan.
Mathews, widely tipped to get the vice-captaincy role, was not considered due to fitness concerns.
Sri Lanka Test squad: Tillakaratne Dilshan (captain), Tharanga Paranavitana, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Dinesh Chandimal, Prasanna Jayawardene (wicket-keeper), Thisara Perera, Suraj Randiv, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath, Dilhara Fernando, Chanaka Welegedara, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep
