14 February,2013 07:34 PM IST | | Agencies
All-rounder Angelo Mathews has been appointed Sri Lanka's Test and ODI captain, replacing Mahela Jayawardene, for a period of one year.u00a0
The 25-year-old Mathews was Jayawardene's deputy and heir apparent since the latter announced that he would be quitting captaincy after Sri Lanka's tour of Australia.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Chandimal will be Mathews' deputy, but will lead the national side in the Twenty20 format.u00a0
Lasith Malinga will be the team's vice-captain for T20.
Angelo Mathews (right) with Lasith Malinga. File Pic/Getty Images
Mathews, with 1,668 runs in 31 Tests, has also scored 1,784 runs and taken 54 wickets in 90 one-day internationals.
Jayawardene, with more than 10,000 runs both in Tests and one-dayers, led Sri Lanka to the finals of the 50-over World Cup in the West Indies in 2007 and then the World T20 at home last year.
The selectors have also named a 20-member pool of players for the two-match home Test series against Bangladesh, starting next month.
Bangladesh will play two Tests, three one-dayers and a one-off T20 match. The Tests will be played in Galle (March 8-12) and Colombo (March 16-20), while Hambantota (March 23 and 25) and Pallekele (March 28) will host the limited overs games.
Veteran Thilan Samaraweera, opener opener Tharanga Paranavithana and wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene have been dropped from the squad while unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis returns to the Test squad.
Mendis, who played his last Test in May 2011, has so far bagged 62 wickets in 16 matches.
Kumar Sangakkara's participation in Tests is subject to recovery from an injury, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said in a statement.
Four uncapped players -- batsmen Kithruwan Vithanage and Ashen Silva, a medium pacer Dushmantha Chameera and off-spinner Tharindu Kaushal -- have been included.u00a0
Test squad: Angelo Mathews (c), Dinesh Chandimal, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Dimuth Karunaratne, Ashen Silva, Kumar Sangakkara, Lahiru Thirimanne, Mahela Jayawardene, Kushal Janith Perera, Jeevan Mendis, Kithuruwan Vithanage, Ajantha Mendis, Suraj Randiv, Nuwan Kulasekara, Shaminda Eranga, Chanaka Welegedera, Nuwan Pradeep, Dushmantha Chameera, Rangana Herath, Tharindu Kaushal.u00a0
