Madushanka eyes Test debut after being picked to play Pakistan

Dilshan Madushanka, the promising left-arm quick from Sri Lanka, will be eyeing a Test debut soon after being picked in the 16-member squad to play the first of two matches against Pakistan starting July 16. The 22-year-old was not initially slated to play but has been picked as a replacement for Asitha Fernando, who was ruled after contracting dengue.

Madushanka's stock though is on the rise, having already caused a stir in the white-ball circuit - he was the biggest buy at the Lanka Premier League auction last month and was considered good enough to be part of Sri Lanka's T20 World Cup side in 2022 before injury forced him out of the tournament. And while he wasn't originally picked for the World Cup Qualifier, with the selectors preferring to let him play against a touring South Africa A side, he was brought in as an injury replacement for Dushmantha Chameera, where in his four outings he managed to pick up eight wickets at an economy rate of 4 an over.

Dimuth Karunaratne, who missed the final of the WCQ with a hamstring strain, will continue to captain Sri Lanka, even though he had expressed the desire to step down following the home Tests against Ireland, which the hosts won 2-0.

Sri Lanka's most recent exertions were all in the one-day arena where they went through tough competition in the qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe to book a ticket to India for the ODI World Cup in October. Some of those players - Pathum Nissanka and Kasun Rajitha - are part of this Test squad as well, alongside a new face - Lakshitha Manasinghe, a 23-year old offspin-bowling allrounder with 1111 runs and 124 wickets from 37 first-class matches.

Manasinghe's inclusion follows an impressive string of displays domestically and for Sri Lanka A against South Africa A, during which he picked up 12 wickets - inclusive of two five-fors - in two unofficial Tests. He also grabbed a four-for against Pakistan in the two-day warm-up game in Hambantota.

Nissanka returns to the side after an absence of a year - his last Test against Australia in July last year - during which he's missed Tests against Pakistan, New Zealand and Ireland. His exclusion from those games had raised eyebrows, considering that the Australia tour was the only time where he faced a real dip in form in his brief career thus far. Since making his debut he's notched up five fifties and a century in 15 innings at an average of 38.35. He finds his way back in the side following a fruitful outing in the World Cup qualifiers, where he was the second-highest run-scorer with 417 runs at an average of 69.5 - including back-to-back tons.

Rajitha, who had been omitted from the Tests against Ireland, returns to the fold to spearhead a fairly threadbare seam unit, alongside Madushanka and Vishwa Fernando.

The spin department however is stacked - understandable considering both Tests will be in spin-friendly Galle. Left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrama comes into the side at the expense of legspinner Dushan Hemantha. Fellow left-armer Prabath Jayasuriya will lead the attack, while there will be ample support if needed from the likes of Manasinghe, and allrounders Ramesh Mendis, Kamindu Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva.

On the batting front, things are fairly settled with Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva and Sadeera Samarawickrama the most likely combination in the middle. The only uncertainty remains at the top, with Karunaratne's match fitness still unclear. If he is cleared to play, it's likely Nishan Madushka - who notched a double-ton against Ireland in his last Test innings - will be favoured over the returning Nissanka.

Sri Lanka squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), Nishan Madushka (wk), Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Pathum Nissanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Kamindu Mendis, Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Praveen Jayawickrama, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka, Vishwa Fernando, Lakshitha Manasinghe