Sports
Dhammika Ratnaweera
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Sri Lankan opener Pathum Nissanka couldn’t find a place in the National squad for the forthcoming Bangladesh Test series as he has still not fully recovered from the back injury.
According to reliable sources close to SLC the in-form top order batsman Oshada Fernando most probably will open the batting with skipper Dimuth Karunaratne in this Test series. The selectors named a 23 member National pool earlier and subsequently picked a 18 member squad for the Test series subject to approval from the Sports Minister. The National players also have to undergo a fitness test from April 25 to 27 at Sugathadasa Stadium and it will be handled by the Sri Lankan trainer. This fitness test will be conducted once in every four months. But the reports of this test also will be considered for the Bangladesh tour and the Emerging team’s England tour. A 32 member emerging cricket pool has already been named and from it, an 18 member squad will be picked. The tour will commence on May 1.
Kusal Janith Perera still has to undergo
surgery
Pathum Nissanka, pacemen Mohammed Shiraz, Shiran Fernando, off spinner Lakshitha Manasinghe and leg spinner Jeffrey Vandersay have not been included in the final 18 member squad. (If any player of the 18 member squad fails the fitness test then one of the five players will get a chance to enter the National squad). Nissanka the 23 year old right hander played his last Test against India from March 4 to 6 in Mohali and he missed the second Test due to a back injury, and since then (more than two months) Nissanka has still not recovered.
However “Daily News” learnt that the foreign physiotherapist attached to the National side was away in New Zealand due to get his leave approved after the Indian test series and local staff trainers and physiotherapists were entrusted with the task of ensuring Nissnaka’s recovery. It is learnt that the same situation for the Kusal Janith Perera (KJP) who is having shoulder injury and has not fully recovered and will undergo surgery overseas. He played last LPL despite nursing an injury and has not played cricket since then. The most unfortunate thing is the delay in his surgery(which was recommended by the medical officers) and if he does not fully recover after the injury most probably he won’t be able to play the Australia T-20 series as well as ODI’s (not enough to recover )before the T-20 World Cup and Sri Lanka white ball team have to face big issues with players recoveries after their injuries. Avishka Fernando also underwent surgery in Australia and is presently in his recovery period.
Meanwhile, it is also understood that SLC also has an idea to get a foreign physiotherapist to focus on player recoveries and he has to focus on injury players recovery period. SLC already appointed Chaminda Vaas as specialist fast bowling coach but he is not willing to get his post due to personal reasons and now Dharshana Gamage the fast bowling coach attached to the High Performance coaching unit will join with the National team for the Bangladesh Test series which will commence on May 15. The squad is unlikely to have a separate specialist batting coach but the responsibilities will lie with the assistant coach Naveed Nawaz while new head coach Chris Silverwood the 47 year old former England fast bowler already training the Sri Lankan players is looking to do his first assignment during this Bangladesh Test series.
Sri Lanka 18 Test squad for the Bangladesh test series (subjected to approval from the Sports Minister):
Dimuth Karunaratne,(Capt) Oshada Fernando, Dhananjaya de Silva , Anjelo Matthews, Kusal Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Roshen Silva, Niroshan Dikwella, Dinesh Chandimal, Ramesh Mendis, Chamika Karunaratne, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lasith Embuldeniya and Suminda Lakshan.
Friday, April 22, 2022 – 01:00
