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Kandamby, Kaushal Silva get Test call-ups

Thilina Kandamby and Kaushal Silva are the two uncapped players in Sri Lanka's Test squad for the tour of India starting next month

Sa'adi Thawfeeq
27-Oct-2009
Thilina Kandamby's solid one-day form has earned him a spot in the Test squad  •  Getty Images

Thilina Kandamby's solid one-day form has earned him a spot in the Test squad  •  Getty Images

Two uncapped players, left-hand middle-order batsman Thilina Kandamby and wicketkeeper-batsman Kaushal Silva, have been named in Sri Lanka's Test squad for the tour of India starting next month. Another major change in the 16-man line-up for the three-Test series was a recall for left-arm fast bowler Chanaka Welegedera after a two-year absence from the senior side. The notable absentees are opener Malinda Warnapura and middle-order batsman Chamara Kapugedera.
Kandamby has made it to the Test squad on the strength of his exceptional one-day form. Since his recall to the one-day side last year, Kandamby has been one of Sri Lanka's consistent performers scoring 618 runs from 17 ODIs at an average of 44.14 including five half-centuries.
Silva is highly rated by captain Kumar Sangakkara, who once said that it was the presence of the world's best Test wicketkeeper in the side, Prasanna Jayawardene, that was keeping Silva on the sidelines. A right-hand middle order batsman Silva has been a prolific scorer for Sinhalese Sports Club in the domestic circuit and captained Sri Lanka A against Pakistan A early this year.
Welegedera, 28, played his only Test against England at Galle in 2007 where he took four wickets for 76 and was hailed as the likely successor to Sri Lanka's most successful fast bowler, Chaminda Vaas. However, Welegedera failed to live up to the high expectations and faded out of contention until last season when he came back strongly with some inspiring bowling performances for Wayamba in the provincial tournament to stake a claim for a place in the Test side.
Welagedera also gets a nod in for the two Twenty20s along with hard-hitting Chintaka Jayasinghe and Kaushalya Weeraratne and allrounder Muthumudalige Pushpakumara. For the five one-day internationals, fast bowler Dilhara Fernando has been recalled.
Tests: Kumar Sangakkara (capt), Muttiah Muralitharan, Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Tharanga Paranavitana, Thilan Samaraweera, Angelo Mathews, Thilina Kandamby, Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), Kaushal Silva, Chanaka Welegedara, Thilan Thushara, Nuwan Kulasekera, Dammika Prasad, Rangana Herath, Ajantha Mendis.
Twenty20s: Kumar Sangakkara (capt/wk), Muttiah Muralitharan, Mahela Jayawardene, Sanath Jayasuriya, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chamara Kapugedara, Angelo Mathews, Chinthaka Jayasinghe, Kaushal Weeraratne, Ajantha Mendis, Muthumudalige Pushpakumara, Chanaka Welegedara, Thilan Thushara, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekera.
ODIs: Kumar Sangakkara (capt/wk), Muttiah Muralitharan, Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chamara Kapugedara, Tilina Kandamby, Upul Tharanga, Angelo Mathews, Thilan Samaraweera, Sanath Jayasuriya, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, Thilan Thushara, Nuwan Kulasekera, Ajantha Mendis.