COLOMBO (Reuters) – Dasun Sanaka will lead Sri Lanka in the limited-overs series against India, replacing Kusal Perera who is sidelined with a shoulder injury, the country’s cricket board said on Friday.
Since Perera took over in May, Sri Lanka have lost all three series and Sanaka had been tipped by the local media to become Sri Lanka’s 10th one-day captain in the last five years.
“Kusal Perera will not be able to take part in the ODI and the T20I series against India owing to an injury,” Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said in a statement before announcing the squad.
The wicketkeeper-batsman suffered a right shoulder sprain in training ahead of Sunday’s first India one-dayer, the SLC said.
With fellow stumper Niroshan Dickwella also unavailable through suspension after breaching bio-bubble protocols in England, Sri Lanka named young wicketkeepers Minod Bhanuka and Lahiru Udara in their squad.
Left-arm fast bowler Binura Fernando will miss the three one-dayers against India after spraining his left ankle during practice but will be available for the T20 matches.
Opener Shikhar Dhawan will lead a second-string India squad against Sri Lanka as several of their frontline players are in England preparing for a five-test series against Joe Root’s team starting on Aug. 4.
Squad: Dasun Shanaka (captain), 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 T20), Dushmantha Chameera, Lakshan Sandakan, Akila Dhananjaya, Shiran Fernando, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Ishan Jayaratne, Praveen Jayawickrema, Asitha Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, Isuru Udana
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Peter Rutherford and Ken Ferris)
