IND vs SL Test Series – Sri Lanka Test Squad: Dasun Shanaka to be added to Test squad? – Sri Lanka’s limited-overs skipper Dasun Shanaka has been out of Test cricket. But after a fantastic performance in the T20 series against India, he is likely to be added to the Test squad for the two-match series. He landed in Chandigarh on Tuesday ahead of the 1st Test from March 4 in Mohali. Follow India vs Sri Lanka Live Updates on InsideSport.IN.
“Yes, he is in Mohali with the team. But officially, he hasn’t been added. He has a minor injury at the moment. It’s a call of the selectors and should also have an approval from the sports ministry,” a source in the Sri Lanka team told InsideSport.
IND vs SL Test Series: Dasun Shanaka likely to be added to Test squad after fantastic show in T20s – Follow Live Updates
IND vs SL Test Series: Dasun Shanaka likely to be added to Test squad after fantastic show in T20s – Follow Live Updates
The Sri Lankan all-rounder has not played Test cricket consistently. The last time, he played a Test match was back in January 2021 against England at Galle and wasn’t successful. However, he is coming off a rich vain of form. Against India in the three-match series, he scored an unbeaten 47 off 19 and 38-ball 74.
Dasun Shanaka is also one of the players with experience of playing against India in India on the 2017 tour and the team wants to exploit that. On Tuesday, while T20 squad reached Colombo, Shanaka wasn’t part of the contingent.
Dasun Shanaka with his exploits had also impressed batting legend Sunil Gavaskar, who wondered why he was not picked by an IPL team.
Members of the Sri Lanka Test Squad left the country early this morning to take part in the 02 match Test series vs India. 🛫#INDvSL pic.twitter.com/2ngFW6NLDM
— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) February 25, 2022
IND vs SL Test Series: Dasun Shanaka likely to be added to Test squad after fantastic show in T20s – Follow Live Updates
“I am really surprised that he has not been picked up by any of the IPL franchises because maybe the performance before that was not very good. But looking at his batting performances yesterday and today, and the fact that he can bowl a few overs as well means that he will be on the radar of just about every franchise in case there is an injury, in case there is a replacement player required,” Sunil Gavaskar said during the T20 Series on Star Sports.
“Because the way he has scored was against a top Indian attack on Saturday he scored against Bumrah and Bhuvaneshwar, and Sunday you are talking about the youngsters like Mohammed Siraj and Avesh [Khan]. To get the runs the way he has done, means that he is a special, special player,” he added.
Although Shanaka has done well in limited-overs cricket, he is yet to prove his worth in Test. In 6 Tests, he has scored only 140 runs at an average of 14.00 while scalping 13 wickets.
IND vs SL Test Series: Dasun Shanaka likely to be added to Test squad after fantastic show in T20s – Follow Live Updates
Sri Lanka Test Squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dhananjaya de Silva (vc), Kusal Mendis (subject to fitness), Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Charith Asalanka, Niroshan Dickwella, Chamika Karunaratne, Lahiru Kumara, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera, Vishwa Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay, Praveen Jayawickrema, Lasith Embuldeniya.
IND vs SL Test Series: Dasun Shanaka likely to be added to Test squad after fantastic show in T20s – Follow Live Updates
