Wanindu Hasaranga has come out of Test retirement and been named in Sri Lanka's 17-man squad for the two-Test series against Bangladesh, starting Friday. Sri Lanka have also recalled seamer Lahiru Kumara and included uncapped offspinner Nishan Peiris in the contingent.
Making way are seamers Milan Rathnayake and Asitha Fernando, the latter still recovering from the hamstring injury that kept him out of the ODI leg of the tour.
Hasaranga had announced his Test retirement in August 2023 to focus on white-ball cricket. In four Tests so far, he has four wickets at an average of 100.75. He last played a Test in April 2021, against Bangladesh at home.
Given the series ends on April 3, Hasaranga will be unavailable for the first three games for his IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Kumara's recall, meanwhile, likely would not have occurred if not for Asitha's injury, but it does come on the back of an impressive four wicket-haul in the third ODI against Bangladesh. Kumara hasn't played a Test in a year. As for Peiris, he was last named in a Test squad in 2018 without making his way into the playing XI. He has taken 24 wickets in his last four first-class matches. Overall, he has picked up 153 wickets in 37 games at an average of 24.79.
The rest of the squad is unchanged from the one named for the one-off Test against Afghanistan earlier this year, with Dhananjaya de Silva set to lead. Uncapped opener Lahiru Udara is still with the team, though chances of him dislodging one of Dimuth Karunaratne or Nishan Madushka at the top of the order seem slim at the moment. The rest of the batting will almost certainly include Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal and de Silva, with Sadeera Samarawickrama likely taking the gloves.
The remaining four spots in the XI will depend on the spin-to-seam ratio Sri Lanka opt for. Prabath Jayasuriya has been a mainstay in the Test side since his debut, though he has primarily plied his trade at home since then. Peiris and Ramesh Mendis also offer spin-bowling options, though Jayasuriya and Hasaranga are likely to be their first choice.
If, as expected, Sri Lanka opt for two seamers, that would leave Kumara, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando and Chamika Gunasekara competing for the remaining two slots.
The first Test begins on Friday in Sylhet.
SL squad for Bangladesh Tests
Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), Kusal Mendis, Dimuth Karunaratne, Nishan Madushka, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Kamindu Mendis, Lahiru Udara, Wanindu Hasaranga, Prabath Jayasuriya, Ramesh Mendis, Nishan Peiris, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Chamika Gunasekara