PTI
COLOMBO
Out of the several changes that Sri Lanka are expected to make in their XI for the first cricket Test against West Indies starting on Wednesday in Galle, left-hand batsman Milinda Siriwardana is set to debut in the longest format.
The 29-year-old has represented Sri Lanka in 5 ODIs and 2 T20s and is now poised to make a mark in Tests as well. Meanwhile Kusal Janith Perera will take over the wicket keeping duties from Dinesh Chandimal, enabling him to bat up the order, skipper Angelo Mathews said. Kumar Sangakkara’s number three position will go to the vice captain Lahiru Thirimanne.
“His recent form is a concern but he is a good enough player to come through”, Mathews said. The Sri Lankan captain said it will be a learning process for the team as they move ahead for the first time since the retirement of the legends, Mahela Jayawardena and Sangakkara. West Indian captain Jason Holder is also looking forward to the challenge of playing in sub-continent conditions.
“It will be a very special day for me,” said Holder. He said the West Indies are faced with the challenge of adapting to hot Sri Lankan conditions. “We have a bit of pace and it will be a question of adapting to very batting friendly conditions”.
The West Indies are yet to win a Test in Sri Lanka. They have lost 5 and drawn 4 since playing their first Test here in 1993.
