JOHANNESBURG – All the starters from Sri Lanka’s heroic series victory here last year will touch down in the country on Friday to start preparations for the two Tests against the Proteas.
As is the new norm for touring teams, Sri Lanka picked an extended squad of 22 players, for their short series, that starts with the Boxing Day Test at SuperSport Park. Absent from the group is veteran all-rounder Angelo Mathews, who picked up a hamstring injury in the semi-finals of Sri Lanka’s T20 competition.
While that is a blow, Dimuth Karunaratne’s side showed the last time they were here they could manage just fine without him, winning both matches in the two-Test mini series.
The hero of that tour, Kusal Perera, will be back, his innings of 153 not out at Kingsmead having attained legendary status.
The series will be the first the Sri Lankans will have played in the “Covid era”, having last played international cricket in March. They will play a three-day warm-up game against an Invitation XI in Benoni next week.
Head coach Mickey Arthur has already been in the country for a few days to assess conditions inside the “bio secure bubble” in which both teams will be living. Sri Lanka had expressed concerns about touring here after the England tour was curtailed when that team expressed concerns about the bio secure environment in Cape Town, following positive Covid tests in the South African team and among staff at the hotel.
Sri Lanka Test Squad
Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), Oshada Fernando, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Perera, Niroshan Dickwella, Dhananjaya De Silva, Dasun Shanaka, Minod Bhanuka, Santhush Gunathilaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dilruwan Perera, Lasith Embuldeniya, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Asitha Fernando, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka