DHAKA: Sri Lanka’s young players have performed well enough in the tri-series in Bangladesh to convince skipper Kumar Sangakkara that they are ready to challenge the senior players for full-time places in the squad.
Several experienced players were rested for the one-day series in which Sri Lanka face India in Wednesday’s final but Suraj Randiv, Suranga Lakmal, Thishara Perera and Thilan Tushara all impressed in the side’s run of three wins from four games.
“In the year going forward from here, we hope that many of these guys will push a permanent place and give everyone a run for their money,” Sangakkara told reporters on Tuesday. Sangakkara admitted, however, that world record wicket taker Mutriah Muralitharan’s place in the one-day side was still safe despite his poor run of recent form and the emergence of off-spinner Randiv.
“I think he is pushing for a permanent place in the one-day side without a doubt,” Sangakkara added, “(But) Murali is Murali, you know, no one can be compared with him, so we are just waiting for him to come back in the side as well.
Rookie paceman
Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s cricket selectors on Tuesday named uncapped fast bowler Shafiul Islam in a 14-man squad for the two-Test series against India starting on Jan. 17. The 20-year-old made his one-day debut in the ongoing tri-series against India and Sri Lanka and replaces injured captain Mashrafe Mortaza in the Test squad.
Shakib Al Hasan will continue to lead Bangladesh in the absence of Mortaza, who is sidelined following knee surgery.
The first Test against India, the No.1 Test side, will be played in Chittagong from Jan. 17-21. The second Test starts in Dhaka on Jan. 24.
Squad: Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Mohammad Ashraful, Raqibul Hossain, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Shahriar Nafees, Shahadat Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Enamul Hossain, Mahbubul Alam, Shafiul Islam.
