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Due to bronchitis and a respiratory infection, fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera will not play in Sri Lanka’s home series against India. His replacement in the ODI and T20I squads is Asitha Fernando.
Earlier this month, Chameera participated in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) with the Kandy Falcons; however, he was not selected for the team as the competition came to a conclusion.
Upul Tharanga, the chief selector for Sri Lanka, stated, “Only yesterday did we get back the reports, and it can be confirmed that he will miss the T20Is and ODIs against India,” during a briefing on Wednesday alongside Sanath Jayasuriya, the recently appointed interim head coach. Jayasuriya also outlined the team’s future in T20 internationals.
Before the T20 World Cup 2024 in June of this year, Angelo Mathews was given an unexpected call-up to the T20I team in the beginning of the year. He did not make the squad to play India, though, after amassing 261 runs at a strike rate of 151.74 in the league.
Even if Mathews hasn’t given up on T20Is, Tharanga appeared to indicate that the 37-year-old was no longer taking into consideration as Sri Lanka prepared for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
“When we came in [as selectors] we spoke to Angie about playing in this past World Cup, that was the plan,” Tharanga said. “But after the tournament we spoke again, and this time we told him he wasn’t in our plans for the next World Cup.
“But during the brief time he was in the side after we brought him in, he played well. And in the LPL as well he did will as a finisher. But we need to look to the future. There’s a big gap to fill when it comes to an allrounder in the side – we have about two-three new players in mind to slot into that role. We’ll give them an opportunity and get them ready for the next World Cup.”
As far as Sri Lanka’s preparation for the India series is confirmed, every player in the team participated in the just finished LPL. Having participated in one of the tournament’s legs in Pallekele, they will be accustomed to the local circumstances.
In preparation for the series, the team is now in Kandy for a training camp and is temporarily collaborating with Zubin Bharucha, the high-performance director of the Rajasthan Royals. Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara, who serves as RR’s director of cricket, helped to make the transfer possible.
“It was great training with Zubin, as we did a lot of things that we had not done before,” Jayasuriya said. “There was a lot of work done with him, we learnt a lot from him, and I hope the players have learned about more optimal practicing and techniques. So I think preparations have been really good – and we have another two more days in Kandy.”