Sri Lanka name squad for India finale

Sri Lanka have dropped batsman batsman Gunathilaka for the third and final Test against India at Pallekele.

The fifteen man-squad includes seamers Dushmantha Chameera and Lahiru Gamage with Nuwan Pradeep ruled out of the Test after his injury during the second Test.

Sri Lanka’s lead spinner Rangana Herath has been rested for this Test after complaining of a stiff back following the defeat to India in Colombo.

Chameera has trod a long path back to the Test arena after injury limited his opportunities in 2016, he last played a Test in December.

The inclusion of Gamage is sure to raise some eyebrows with the swing specialist failing to impress in recent times.

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Gunathilaka will need to go back to the drawing board as far as the longer format is considered he was given just one Test with Dinesh Chandimal returning in Colombo after illness ruled him out of the Galle Test.

He made just 16 and 2 in his Test debut in the defeat at Galle.

With Herath out Lakshan Sandakan will have an opportunity to press his claims for more game-time in the Test outfit.’

He is a young spinner with a deceptive range of deliveries and has proven himself capable of mesmerizing opposition batsmen.

The third and final Test against India gets underway at Pallekele on Saturday August 12.

Sri Lanka squad: Dinesh Chandimal (capt), Upul Tharanga, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Dilruwan Perera, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Gamage, Lakshan Sandakan, Malinda Pushpakumara

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