Now Reading: Dhananjaya de Silva defends Dickwella recall for Galle Test
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Dhananjaya de Silva defends Dickwella recall for Galle Test
Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva has defended the recall of wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella for the first Test against India starting August 15, saying his glovework is vital on Galle's challenging pitch.…
The Story in Brief
Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva has defended the recall of wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella for the first Test against India starting August 15, saying his glovework is vital on Galle's challenging pitch. Dickwella replaces the injured Kusal Mendis, but critics have questioned why in-form domestic keepers Sadeera Samarawickrama and Anjala Bandara were overlooked. Dhananjaya also backed fast bowler Lahiru Kumara despite his recent hamstring injury, saying no other Sri Lankan bowler can replace him. He hinted at a debut for off-spinner Keshara Nuwantha. India are without Jasprit Bumrah and Washington Sundar; Mohammed Siraj is expected to lead the attack.
The Indian Opinion
The selection debate around Dickwella pits form against specialised skill. His modest batting average and period out of the side make the call look sentimental, yet the captain says Galle demands the best gloveman. Similarly, backing injury-prone Kumara reflects a thin pace pool, not necessarily faith in his body. The real test: will Dickwella's keeping save more runs than Samarawickrama's bat would have scored in the first innings?
Sources (3): telanganatoday.com, thehindu.com, m9.news
This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 3 sources.
