Chandimal has not fully recovered from a finger injury

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Sri Lanka vice-captain Dinesh Chandimal has been ruled out of the upcoming Test series against Zimbabwe later this month as he has not sufficiently recovered from a thumb injury.

Chandimal underwent surgery after he hit on the thumb during a Mercantile tournament match and was diagnosed with “multiple dislocations around the right thumb area”.

Chandimal was expected to recover in three weeks and be fit for the two-Test series against Zimbabwe, but his recovery has not gone as smoothly as hoped and he has subsequently been sidelined.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka have opted to include three uncapped players – Kasun Madushanka and Lahiru Kumara, both of whom are pace bowlers, and all-rounder Asela Gunaratne – in their squad.

Madushanka, 25, has played 49 first-class games and taken 139 wickets at an average of 28.60, while 19-year-old Kumara has featured in just two first-class matches and claimed three wickets.

Gunaratne, who played a Twenty20 International against India in February this year, has scored 4320 runs in 67 first-class matches at an average of 42.77 and picked up 34 wickets at an average of 34.67.

Sri Lanka’s Test tour of Zimbabwe will begin on October 29 in Harare, while the second Test will get underway on November 6 at the same venue.

Sri Lanka Test Squad: Angelo Mathews (captain), Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya Silva, Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Suranga Lakmal, Niroshan Dikwella, Kasun Madushanka, Lahiru Kumara, Lahiru Gamage, Asela Gunaratne