Mathews, Chandimal in ODI captaincy frame

Sri Lanka's ODI captaincy may pass back to Angelo Mathews, barely six months after he resigned from the position, or it may go to Dinesh Chandimal, who has not consistently held a place in the XI.

Thisara Perera captained Sri Lanka in the recent ODIs against India, but is now unlikely to be persisted with under head coach Chandika Hathurusingha's new regime. The decision to strike out in another direction - the next World Cup only 18 months out - was made in a meeting featuring SLC office bearers, the selectors, and Hathurusingha, a board release said.

"During the discussion, the Chairman of selectors informed me that they are considering appointing either Angelo Mathews or Dinesh Chandimal to fill the role," SLC president Thilanga Sumathipala said. The final decision is set to be announced on January 9 - before the team departs for the ODI tri-series in Bangladesh.

That Mathews and Chandimal are even being considered makes plain the dearth of limited overs leadership for Sri Lanka. In addition to Perera, Upul Tharanga has also captained the side over the last year, but tasted very little success. Lasith Malinga might perhaps have been a captaincy option, had he not been dropped from the side.

Although unlike Chandimal, Mathews earns an automatic place in the XI, his case is complicated by injury. Mathews has suffered from a raft of leg complaints over the past 18 months, missing whole tours and finding himself unavailable for months at a time. His latest injury was a hamstring strain, which ended his tour of India early.