Sri Lanka Cricket have announced a 15-man squad for the T20 series in India. Dilhara Fernando returned to the Sri Lanka squad after four years.
Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Rangana Herath and Nuwan Pradeep will not be part of the Sri Lankan squad touring India in February for a three-match T20 series, starting from 9th of the month in New Delhi.
All these players have sustained or are yet to recover from injuries. Thus, Sri Lanka are sending a rather depleted squad for the India tour that is just ahead of the Asia Cup T20 2016, which will be held in Bangladesh.
Malinga has been nursing a knee injury and that kept him away from the limited over series in New Zealand. He is supposed to recover in another couple of weeks. His recovery time is already delayed.
Meanwhile, Mathews has also been suffering from a groin injury, which did not allow him to bowl much in New Zealand. His injury is not as serious as Malinga's and the Sri Lanka Cricket Board is expecting both the players to be available for the Asia Cup T20 2016 later in February.
In Malinga's absence, Dinesh Chandimal will lead the Sri Lanka side during the India tour as he has done in New Zealand recently.
Left-arm off-spinner Rangana Herath and seamer Nuwan Pradeep has sustained injuries while playing in the domestic T20 tournaments.
Sri Lanka Cricket will announce a provisional squad keeping in mind the India tour, Asia Cup T20 2016 and not forget, the ICC World T20 2016 that will also be held in India in March. According to ESPNcricinfo, the performances of the players in the domestic T20 competition will be taken into consideration. The squad that will be picked for the Asia Cup T20 2016 is likely to remain unchanged for the ICC World T20 2016 as well.
Here's the Sri Lanka squad for India tour:
Dinesh Chandimal (C), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Seekuge Prasanna, Milinda Siriwardana, Danushka Gunathilaka, Thisara Perera, Dasun Shanaka, Asela Gunaratne, Chamara Kapugedera, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilhara Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Binura Fernando, Sachithra Senanayake, Jeffrey Vandersay.
