The team that performed in England replaces Nisan Madushka, Kasun Rajitha, and Nisala Tharaka.
Oshada Fernando, a top-order flour, has returned to Sri Lanka's Test crew for this season's two-test collection against New Zealand at home after missing the previous 18 months. As a result, Nishan Madushka will not be included in Sri Lanka's 16-man crew. Fast-bowling star Kasun Rajitha and batsman Nisala Tharaka are the only other players to be exempt from their respective tours of England.
Oshada's gain follows an impressive displaying with the A team, who are currently touring South Africa. The 32-year-old flour, who has played 21 Checks, struck 122 and 80 on the way to a Player-of-the-Match proving, as Sri Lanka A won the first of two illegal Testing in Kimberley. The shows were enough for the candidates to limit his time in South Africa and shoe him into a Examine club for the first time since March 2023.
Madushka was understandably the strange man out, following a challenging tour of England where he accumulated results of 4, 0, 7 and 13 over the first two Tests before being dropped for the next. His successor at the top of the attempt, Pathum Nissanka, struck a match-winning era in the last Test, which today means there is no natural place in the playing XI for the 25-year-old bowler.
Neither Tharaka nor Rajitha played a match in England, and with the batsmen that did- Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando and Milan Rathnayake- pleasing, Sri Lanka's hole force was now overstocked considering the spin-friendly problems expected in Galle.
Oshada might struggle to get a place in what is a very settled batting order despite his recall. Dimuth Karunaratne, Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis are all likely to retain their areas in the XI, while Ramesh Mendis does casino in at No. 8 to boost both the bat and spin-bowling divisions. There is also Sadeera Samarawickrama waiting in the wings.
With the remaining three slots going to lead spinner Prabath Jayasuriya and two others- good two seamers, or maybe even an additional spinner in Jeffrey Vandersay- it's difficult to see where Oshada fits in unless one of the senior men in Mathews or Karunaratne makes way.
Both Testing will take place in Galle with the first Check end on September 18.
New Zealand Test crew vs. Sri Lanka
Dhananjaya de Silva ( capt ), Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Oshada Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Prabath Jayasuriya, Ramesh Mendis, Jeffrey Vandersay, Milan Rathnayake
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