Uncapped spinners Ashian and Vandersay get Test call-up
Jeffrey Vandersay has been quite effective as a spinner in ODIs and T20s, but is yet to show his might in Tests
Sri Lanka has named uncapped off-spinner Ashian Daniel and leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay in a 19-man squad for their two-match Test tour of India early next month. The series, which includes a day-night Test, will begin on March 4 in Mohali before the teams head to Bengaluru for the second Test, a day-night game starting on March 12. The match in Mohali will be Sri Lanka’s 300th Test match.
Wicketkeeper batter Niroshan Dickwella is also back in contention for a place for the first time since May last year while senior batter Lahiru Thirimanne returns to the side, having taken paternity leave during Sri Lanka’s last Test series against West Indies.
However, there were no places for Oshada Fernando, Minod Bhanuka, Kamil Mishara, Roshen Silva, Ramesh Mendis, Lakshan Sandakan, Suminda Lakshan, Asitha Fernando and Chamika Gunasekera who were with the national team during the series against West Indies in November.
Daniel, who celebrates his 21st birthday today, was a former Sri Lanka Under-19 cricketer from St. Joseph’s College and fared decently during the National Super League (NSL) limited-over tournament, claiming 10 wickets in three games. Representing Team Kandy, he made an early impression, picking up 5 for 27 against Jaffna. With off-spinner Ramesh Mendis missing the series owing to a fractured right thumb, the youngster could make his international debut during the series, if the team think-tank decides to include an off-spinner in the playing XI, in addition to Dhananjaya de Silva.
Ashian Daniel, still 21, could make his Test debut against India
Vandersay, on the other hand, represented Sri Lanka in limited-over cricket but was never considered for the longer format during his seven-year international career. However, the selectors have included the 32-year-old in the squad in the hope of capitalising on his wide first-class experience. In his 52 first-class games, Vandersay has taken 224 wickets at 26.64.
Dickwella–who missed out on six months of international cricket following a ban on him and two others over breaching the bio-secure bubble during the series against England last May–has returned to the side to take the gloves. The former Trinity College cricketer has played 45 matches since his debut in 2014, scoring 2443 runs at 32.57. However, the left-hander is yet to make a century in the longer format, where he has scored 18 half centuries, including a best of 96.
Batter Oshada Fernando is likely paying the price for his poor form during the West Indies series last year when he made 49 runs off his four innings. Roshen Silva might feel it’s unfair to miss out as he has not played a Test since January 2019. Minod Bhanuka was handed his debut during Sri Lanka’s tour of South Africa last year but has struggled to find a regular place in the side. With Dickwella coming back, the wicketkeeper/batter’s wait to find a permanent slot will be longer.
As India remains unconquered territory within the cricketing landscape, the selectors have strengthened the batting order bringing in all the seniors. Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Charith Asalanka, Niroshan Dickwella and Dinesh Chandimal will vie for a place in the playing XI as a specialist batter.
The squad has four frontline spinners in Praveen Jayawickrema, Lasith Embuldeniya, Ashian Daniel and Jeffrey Vandersay along with four pace options. Suranga Lakmal, who will retire at the end of the series to join Derbyshire county on a two-year contract, spearheads the seam attack that also has Lahiru Kumara, Dushmantha Chameera and Vishwa Fernando.
| Test squad: | |
| Dimuth Karunaratne (Capt), Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Charith Asalanka, Niroshan Dickwella, Dinesh Chandimal, Chamika Karunaratne, Ramesh Mendis, Lahiru Kumara, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera, Vishwa Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay, Praveen Jayawickrema, Lasith Embuldeniya, Ashian Daniel |