NEWSSri Lankan all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga has come out of Test retirement for the two-match series in Bangladesh starting on Friday (March 22). As a result, he is expected to miss the first three games in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, where he was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for his base price of INR 1.5 crore.
The 26-year-old, who announced his retirement from Test cricket in August to prolong his limited-overs career, was included in Sri Lanka's 17-man squad on Monday (March 18). Hasaranga is one of two changes from the one-off Test against Afghanistan in February, with left-handed batsman Nishan Peiris getting his maiden Test call-up.
Hasaranga and Peiris replaced Asitha Fernando and Milan Rathnayake in the squad. Bangladesh, on the other hand, have named uncapped fast bowler Nahid Rana in its 15-man squad.
Rana, who has taken 63 wickets from 15 first-class matches, joined fellow uncapped pace bowler Mushfik Hasan, who was called up in the squad previously but did not play a game. Batsman Litton Das also returned to the Test side after missing the last Test series against New Zealand.
"We feel that the squad picked for the first Test has a very nice balance, our Test side is a fairly settled one with Nahid Rana being the only newcomer," said selector Abdur Razzak.
"Litton is back after missing the last Test series as he was on leave. All the departments have backups and have been well covered. I think we have a team that can adapt to the requirements of the conditions."
The two-match series is part of the 2023–25 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. Bangladesh defeated Sri Lanka by four wickets on Monday in the third and final one-day international to win the series 2-1.
The opening Test begins on March 22 in Sylhet while Chittagong will host the second Test from March 30. Tourists Sri Lanka won the T20 International (T20I) series 2-1. Bangladesh clinched the One-Day International (ODI) series 2-1.
Bangladesh Test squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Zakir Hasan, Mahmudul Hasan, Shadman Islam, Litton Das, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shahadat Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Mushfik Hasan and Nahid Rana
Sri Lanka Test squad: Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Kusal Mendis, Dimuth Karunaratne, Nishan Madushka, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Lahiru Udara, Wanindu Hasaranga, Prabath Jayasuriya, Ramesh Mendis, Nishan Peiris, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Chamika Gunasekara
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