Sri Lanka Cricket announced Squad of 24 players for SL vs Ind series - Cricket Winner

(SLC) Sri Lanka Cricket has announced a revised 24-member team for the ODI and T20 series against India. Notably, the India National Cricket Team is all set to take on the Sri Lanka cricket squad in a three-match ODI series and a three-match T20I series. The ODI series will commence from July 18 with all six games being played out at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Notably, the Sri Lanka Cricket squad has been going through a lot of turmoil in recent times. The turbulent tide began with a contractual dispute between Sri Lankan players and the national cricket board. It was followed by a shambolic 3-0 defeat against England away from home and the return of the team back home was marred with COVID-19 impact.

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Sri Lanka Cricket announced many major and minor changes

Wicketkeeper-batsman Kusal Perera, who has been ruled out of the white-ball series due to shoulder injury, will be replaced by all-rounder Dasun Shanaka. Meanwhile, fast bowler Binura Fernando will miss the ODI series against India after nursing an ankle injury during Thursday’s training session.

To make matters worse for the Sri Lanka Cricket Squad, Kusal Perera was stripped of the captaincy and Dasun Shanaka was handed the leadership of the side. On Friday, another tragic news came in when Kusal Perera was ruled out of the entire Indian ODI series and the T20 series due to a sprain in his right shoulder. Fast bowler Binura Fernando was also ruled out of the ODI series.

“Kusal Janith Perera will not be able to take part in the ODI and the T20 series against India owing to an injury. The wicket-Keeper batsman suffered a right shoulder sprain during training,” SLC said in a statement.

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“Fast Bowler Binura Fernando sprained his left ankle during a practice session held yesterday (15th July 2021). It’s a lateral ligament sprain. Fernando will be unavailable for the ODI series of the India Tour of Sri Lanka,” it added.

Now, Sri Lanka has to rely on Dhananjaya De Silva, Avishka Fernano, and Isuru Udana for the experience. However, their spin-bowling department looks a settled one with the likes of Akila Dananjaya, Lakshan Sandakan, and Wanidu Hasaranga.

Although the senior Indian Cricket Team is in England, a second-string Indian team has traveled to the Lankan island. However, with the Lankan side suffering against England in the recent ODI series, the second-string Indian side looks like the staunch favorites to win the ODI and T20 series.

Shikhar Dhawan will be leading the Indian contingent in absence of Virat Kohli while Rahul Dravid will be acting as the head coach of the side in the absence of Ravi Shastri. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the ace Indian pacer, has been named the vice-captain of the side. Earlier, the series was slated to begin from July 13 but with multiple COVID cases in the Lankan contingent, the series had to be pushed further.

The six-match series starts with the first of three ODIs on July 18.

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Sri Lanka Cricket squad:

Dasun Shanaka (c), Dhananjaya De Silva, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Ashen Bandara, Minod Bhanuka, Lahiru Udara, Ramesh Mendis, Chamika Karunaratne, Binura Fernando (only for T20I series), Dushmantha Chameera, Lakshan Sandakan, Akila Dananjaya, Shiran Fernando, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Ishan Jayaratne, Praveen Jayawickrama, Asitha Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, Isuru Udana.

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