Sri Lanka bolster pace attack for SA Tests with return of Rajitha and Vishwa

Sri Lanka, on November 19 (Tuesday), named a 17-man squad for the two-match Test series in South Africa starting on November 27. While the batting resources are identical to the squad that clinched the home series against New Zealand 2-0 in September, they have made a few changes to the balance in their seam and spin attack.

The left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya returns to the Test side after two years with the island nation omitting the leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay and the off-break bowling all-rounder Ramesh Mendis. Meanwhile, Nishan Peiris, a specialist off-break bowler has been retained in the squad. 

Mendis picked six wickets in the first Test against New Zealand at Galle, but was replaced by Peiris in the second Test, who snapped nine wickets on his debut. With Vandersay also out, a non-playing member of the 2-0 win over the Kiwis, Sri Lanka have offloaded one spinner from the squad. Prabath Jayasuriya will continue to lead the spin-bowling attack. 

They have used that spot to bolster their pace attack for the South African conditions, bringing in Kasun Rajitha and Vishwa Fernando. The latter was withdrawn from the series against New Zealand due to injury. Hence, Sri Lanka have five pacers for their upcoming assignment with Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara and Milan Rathnayake, also part of the squad. 

No changes were made on the batting front with Oshada Fernando keeping his place. 

The two-match series begins on November 27 in Durban and will be followed by the second Test in Gqeberha starting December 5.

Both sides have a chance to reach their maiden World Test Championship (WTC) final and this series will clear a lot of possibilities. 

Sri Lanka’s Test squad to face South Africa:

Dhananjaya de Silva ( c ), Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Oshada Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Prabath Jayasuriya, Nishan Peiris, Lasith Embuldeniya, Milan Rathnayake, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha

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