Ramesh Mendis recalled for second Test against Australia

Ramesh Mendis has been added to Sri Lanka's squad for the second Test against Australia, while seamer Vishwa Fernando and top-order batter Lahiru Udara have been released from what had been an 18-member squad. Sri Lanka team manager Mahinda Halangoda confirmed the changes, and said Ramesh had joined the squad on Monday.

Ramesh had been dropped both from the Test XI, and later from the squad entirely, on account of what Sri Lanka's team management believed to be a sub-par bowling performance against New Zealand in November.

But having conceded 654 for 6 in the first innings of the first Test against Australia in Galle, Sri Lanka have brought back Ramesh. Partly this is down to his bowling form in the ongoing first-class competition - the Major League Tournament - in which he has claimed 24 wickets at an average of 21.91 plus scored 260 runs at an average of 52 from six innings.

His bowling returns among the top Test teams has been more modest, however, though he has played all 15 of his Tests so far in Asia. Against Australia, for example, he has seven wickets at an average of 40.85 from two matches that were played in Galle in 2022.

Sri Lanka will seriously consider him for a spot in the XI given the inexperience in their spin attack. In the previous match, in which Sri Lanka slipped to their worst Test defeat in history, Sri Lanka had two frontline spinners playing their second Test.

The second Test starts in Galle on Thursday.