In a major breaking in Sri Lanka Cricket, the star spin all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga has been included in the Test squad for the upcoming Bangladesh series starting on March 22. Hasaranga famously took Test retirement last year to focus on white-ball cricket but is set to make his return in a shock for the fans.
Bangladesh host Sri Lanka in two Tests from March 22 to April 3 and Hasaranga is part of the 17-member team under Dhananjaya de Silva's captaincy. Hasaranga will miss the initial Indian Premier League 2024 games for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Hasaranga, 26, announced his Test retirement on August 15 last year citing a reason to play more franchise cricket. Sri Lanka have played only one Test match since Hasaranga's retirement and are yet to register a win in the ICC World Test Championship 2022-25 cycle.
Sunrisers Hyderabad signed Hasaranga for his base price of INR 1.5 crore in the player auction for the IPL 2024. Hasaranga has been in sensational form in both T20 and ODI cricket and was awarded a T20I captaincy after Sri Lanka's disastrous ICC ODI World Cup 2023 campaign.
SRH are set to open their IPL 2024 campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on March 23 and are scheduled to play four games in the initial phase of the tournament. Hasaranga will miss the first three games and might make his debut for SRH in a big game against Chennai Super Kings in Hyderabad on April 5.
Sri Lanka Test squad for the Bangladesh series: Dhananjaya De Silva (c), Kusal Mendis (vc), Dimuth Karunaratne, Nishan Madushka, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Lahiru Udara, Wanindu Hasaranga, Prabath Jayasuriya, Ramesh Mendis, Nishan Peiris, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Chamika Gunasekara.
