10 July,2010 06:58 AM IST | | AFP
Sri Lanka's cricket selectors recalled fast bowlers Dilhara Fernando and Lasith Malinga for the first of three Tests against India starting on July 18.
The selectors also named three uncapped players in batsmen Lahiru Thirimanna and Thilina Kandamby, and off-spinner Suraj Randiv, in a 16-man squad for the Test in Galle. Malinga, who has 91 wickets from 28 Tests, has not played the five-day version since turning out against England in Galle in December, 2007.
Fernando last played a Test in 2009 in Pakistan and returns with 88 wickets in 33 matches behind him. It will be the third Test series between the two nations in as many years. Sri Lanka won 2-1 at home in 2008, while India claimed the return series 2-0 last year to become the world number one side. "We go into the series with India with the aim of winning it," captain Kumar Sangakkara told AFP. The Test will be the last for world bowling record holder Muttiah Muralitharan, who retires after the match.
The off-spinner, a veteran of 132 Tests, needs eight more wickets to reach the 800-wicket mark. "The challenge left for me is to get those eight wickets and go all out to win the match," said Muralitharan. ufffd
