CHANDIGARH: The first Test against India presents Dimuth Karunaratne an opportunity to etch his name in Sri Lankan cricket history. Set to lead the visitors in their 300th Test, Karunaratne will hope to make it memorable by registering their first-ever victory on Indian soil.
"That's a great feeling, captaining in the country's 300th Test. I did not expect it. It is a great honour for me. I will try my best to give the best result for Sri Lanka," the skipper said on Test eve.
Sri Lanka have so far played 20 Tests in India, and ended on the losing side on 11 occasions while managing to draw nine games. They last played a three-Test series in India in 2017, which they lost 0-1.
Back in India to play a Test series after four years, the islanders have recalled Nirohsan Dickwella after the wicketkeeper-batter completed his one-year-ban for a bubble breach in England last year.
Pacer Kusal Mendis, who too was penalized for a similar offence, has been ruled out as he is yet to recover from a hamstring injury he suffered in Australia.
Mendis' inclusion in the squad was subject to fitness, and the bowler will hope to recover by the time the team travels down south for the pink-ball game in Bengaluru.
Notably, pacer Suranga Lakmal will be playing his final two matches for Sri Lanka. The 34-year-old had announced his retirement from all formats coming into the series. He has played 68 Tests so far and taken 168 wickets.
"Dickwella will be the wicketkeeper, (pacer) Dushmantha Chameera will be rested and will be available for the pink-ball Test and Mendis has been ruled out," Karunaratne said. The 33-year-old, who led the team to a 2-0 whitewash of the West Indies in their previous outing, feels his side has ticked all the boxes.
"The players have been training hard and everybody is in good shape. Hopefully, they will produce good form in the two Tests," he said while expecting the likes of Lasith Embuldeniya, Jeffrey Vandersay and Praveen Jayawickrama to capitalise on spin-friendly Indian conditions.
