Sri Lanka dropped captain Dinesh Chandimal from the Test squad on Tuesday for the upcoming tour of South Africa. Opening batsman Dimuth Karunaratne is the stand-in captain of a 17-man squad for the two-Test series starting on February 13.
Sri Lanka Cricket asked him to play domestic games to regain his form. The skipper's omission follows scores of 5, 0, 15, and 4 in the two recent Test losses against Australia. The visitors were handed major losses in the two-match series which was clean-sweeped by the Tim Paine led Aussie side.
The squad includes three uncapped players: Batsman Oshada Fernando, seam bowler Mohmed Shiraz, and left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya.
Sri Lanka's pace attack is depleted because of injuries to Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara, and Nuwan Pradeep.
However, Suranga Lakmal is back after missing the second Test against Australia. Specialist opening batsman Kaushal Silva is also back having missed the Australia series.
Allrounder Milinda Siriwardana was recalled after nearly three years.
The Tests are in Durban from Feb. 13 and in Port Elizabeth from Feb. 21.
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (captain), Niroshan Dickwella, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Milinda Siriwardana, Dhananjaya De Silva, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Chamika Karunaratne, Mohamed Shiraz, Lakshan Sandakan, Lasith Embuldeniya
