Kumar's keeper conundrum

Sangakkara facing a dilemma ahead of first Test

Last updated: 2nd July 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Kumar's keeper conundrum

Sangakkara: Dilemma

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Sri Lanka are facing a selection dilemma ahead of the first Test against Pakistan in Galle starting on Saturday.

With Kumar Sangakkara preparing to take charge of his first Test squad, he is mulling over the prospect of batting at number three and also keeping wicket.

However, he could alternatively hand the gloves to batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan or give specialist keeper Kaushal Silva his first Test cap.

"A specialist wicketkeeper is important but then again we have two other wicketkeepers in the squad, myself and Tillakaratne Dilshan," said Sangakkara. "No other team has that luxury.

"We still have to wait and see how we can manage and how best to balance the team to give us the best advantage to go and win the Test match.

"It could be a case of Kaushal making a debut or myself or Dilshan sharing the gloves."

If Sri Lanka do not opt for Silva it would leave room for Angelo Mathews to make his Test debut after making a big impression in recent one-day internationals and Twenty20 matches.

The match will also see the return of batsman Thilan Samaraweera just four months after being shot in the thigh in the militant attack on the team bus in Lahore.

Samaraweera had been in the form of his life, hitting back-to-back double centuries, and will return to the middle order for his 50th cap.

Pakistan will be buoyed by the return of batsman Mohammad Yousuf after he severed ties with the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League.

All-rounder Abdul Razzaq was also named in the squad after returning from the ICL but Pakistan are likely to field two spinners in Danish Kaneria and Saeed Ajmal.

Sri Lanka squad:
Kumar Sangakkara (capt), Malinda Warnapura, Tharanga Paranavitana, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Angelo Mathews, Chamara Kapugedera, Muthiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Thushara, Nuwan Kulasekara, Dhammika Prasad, Kaushal Silva (wk), Suranga Lakmal.

Pakistan squad:
Younis Khan (capt), Salman Butt, Khurram Manzoor, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal (wk), Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Aamer, Danish Kaneria, Abdul Razzaq, Abdur Rauf, Fawad Alam, Faisal Iqbal.