Sri Lanka's skipper Dinesh Chandimal has been sacked and removed from the Test squad for the upcoming two-match series against South Africa, cricket authorities said Tuesday. Chandimal, 29, was replaced by Dimuth Karunaratne, Sri Lanka Cricket said, listing a 17-member squad that did not include the right-handed batsman. National selectors said in a statement Chandimal was dismissed to help him "regain his form and be ready for future international tours."

His sudden sacking came a day after he insisted his team could lift their game during their upcoming tour against South Africa, following a thrashing by Australia. Under Chandimal, Sri Lanka lost the opening day-night Test in Brisbane by an innings and 40 runs inside three days and followed it up with a 366-run thrashing in the Canberra Test.