Sri Lanka pick Ratnayake, Tharaka and Vandersay for Test series against England

Colombo: Cricket Sri Lanka has included leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay, as well as the uncapped duo of right-arm pacer Milan Rathnayake and fast-bowling all-rounder Nisala Tharaka in its 18-member squad for the three-match Test series against England starting on August 21.

Vandersay played his lone Test match in June 2022 against Australia, and his return to the longer format set-up comes on the back of picking 6-33 against India in the second ODI at Colombo, where he replaced injured leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga. He is now amongst three spin options alongside Prabath Jayasuriya and Ramesh Mendis.

Rathnayake, 28, was in Sri Lanka's Test squad for a one-off Test against Afghanistan but wasn’t included in the playing eleven. He has 39 first-class cricket appearances, picking 79 wickets and has also amassed 633 runs.

On the other hand, Tharaka, 33, has played 107 first-class games, picked 257 wickets and scored 2358 runs, with a highest score of 107. They join Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando to form Sri Lanka’s pace-bowling attack. Vishwa also played three county championship games for Yorkshire as part of the preparation for the Test series against England.

Opener Pathum Nissanka, who’s been in good white-ball form in the ongoing series against India, makes a return to the Sri Lanka side in the longer format. Nissanka made his Test debut in March 2021, but his last appearance in the format came in mid-2022, with Nishan Madushka taking his place at the top of the order.

Sri Lanka will be captained by Dhananjaya de Silva, with Kusal Mendis as his deputy. Familiar faces include Dimuth Karunaratne, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, and Kamindu Mendis. The first Test between Sri Lanka and England starts on August 21 at Old Trafford, Manchester, followed by the second game starting at Lord’s on August 29, and the third match at The Oval commencing on September 6.

Sri Lanka squad for England Tests: Dhananjaya De Silva (captain), Dimuth Karunaratne, Nishan Madushka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (vice-captain), Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, Nisala Tharaka, Prabath Jayasuriya, Ramesh Mendis, Jeffrey Vandersay and Milan Rathnayake