Milan Rathnayake confirmed to make his Test debut at Old Trafford

On August 20 (Tuesday), Sri Lanka announced their playing XI for the first Test against England at Old Trafford. The 28-year-old Milan Rathnayake is confirmed to make his Test debut, having impressed the selectors back home. 

Rathnayake has a stellar first-class record, with 81 wickets in 40 matches at 32.08, with three four-wicket hauls and a five-wicket haul. While the pacer was named in both New Zealand and Ireland squads, he was yet to make his international debut. 

"The conditions are quite different to Asian countries," Sri Lanka's skipper Dhananjaya de Silva said. 

"We wanted to play a few matches, but that's what we get. We didn't go with the full-strength [team]. We have tried out a few players as well. The result didn't go our way, but we had the preparation, I think. It'll work in this match," he added.

The Sri Lankan skipper also was critical of the fact that they didn't get to play a second warm-up game before the series. 

"I have no idea about it. Maybe because we are playing a three-match series after a long time; maybe that's the reason," de Silva had to add. 

So, why only one spinner?

"From the looks of it, it'll be a rain-affected match. I thought because of that, it's best to go with three quicks, because we will go in and out of the game," he said.

Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando and Angelo Mathews will be the other pace bowling options for the visitors, with Prabath Jayasuriya being picked as the sole spinner. 

Sri Lanka XI: Dimuth Karunaratne, Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya De Silva (c), Kamindu Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Milan Rathnayake

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