Wanindu Hasaranga takes back Test retirement ahead of two-match series against Bangladesh

Wanindu Hasaranga, who announced his retirement from Test cricket last year, has returned to the fold for the ICC World Test Championship series against Bangladesh starting March 22.

Hasaranga made his Test debut back in 2020 and has featured in just four Tests, scoring 196 runs with one fifty in seven innings and having taken four wickets, as per ICC.

The bowling all-rounder is part of a strong spin attack that also includes Prabath Jayasuriya, Ramesh Mendis and all-rounders Nishan Peiris and Kamindu Mendis.

Dhananjaya de Silva, who was named Test skipper in February, continues at the helm, with Kusal Mendis as his deputy.

The Test series begins in Sylhet with the following Test in Chattogram from March 30.

Also, Bangladesh wicketkeeper batter and former captain Litton Das returns to the Bangladesh Test side after he missed the previous series against New Zealand due to paternity leave.

Litton, who was the captain of the Test side at that point, was replaced by Najmul Hossain Shanto. He was subsequently named captain of all three formats last month.

This ICC World Test Championship series against Sri Lanka will be Najmul’s first assignment with the Test team since taking over as full-time captain.

Litton, who was recently dropped from the ODI squad after an ordinary run of form, has played 39 Tests, making 2394 runs at an average of 36.27. He was also the designated wicketkeeper in 28 of these Test matches.

Nurul Hasan, who kept wickets in place of Litton in the home Test series against New Zealand, misses out from the squad.

The 15-member squad also sees a call-up for newbie pacers Nahid Rana and Mushfik Hasan. Senior pacer Ebadot Hossain has not returned since the knee injury last year which saw him miss the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India.

Sri Lanka Test squad: Dhananjaya De Silva, Captain, Kusal Mendis, Vice Captain, Dimuth Karunaratne, Nishan Madushka, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Lahiru Udara, Wanindu Hasaranga, Prabath Jayasuriya, Ramesh Mendis, Nishan Peiris, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Chamika Gunasekara.

Bangladesh Test squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Zakir Hasan, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Litton Kumer Das, Mominul Haque Showrab, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shahadat Hossain Dipu, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Mushfik Hasan, Nahid Rana.

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