Mendis out as Asalanka takes over white ball cricket Published 5 days ago on 2024/07/16
National selection panel has met ODI captain Kusal Mendis to inform him that he will be replaced as skipper with the reins of white ball captaincy handed to Charith Asalanka. The left-handed batter was the front-runner to take over the T-20 captaincy vacated by Wanindu Hasaranga and yesterday it was confirmed that Asalanka in fact will lead both white ball teams taking over from Mendis in ODI cricket.
Like Hasaranga, Mendis took over the ODI side in January this year having stood in for the injured Dasun Shanaka during the World Cup last year in India. The selectors had indicated to Mendis that the team needed to head in a new direction.
Mendis is lucky to hold on to his place in the T-20 side. In the LPL, he is yet to score a half-century although he has featured in all seven games so far for Galle Marvels.
The Island learns the selectors were keen to drop him but new skipper Asalanka had requested the selectors to let Mendis remain in the side. The new captain’s demand is unlikely to go down too well.
There is no place for former captain Angelo Mathews though. Mathews was recalled to the T-20 side after three years and had decent outings but he was far from being his former self.
Sadeera Samarawickrama and Dhananjaya de Silva, who were part of the World Cup campaign have been axed.
Hard hitting batters Avishka Fernando and Kusal Janith Perera, both of whom were overlooked for the T-20 World Cup are expected to be back in the side along with former captain Dinesh Chandimal. All three have been terrific in the Lanka Premier League.
Young all-rounder Chamindu Wickramasinghe, who too excelled in the LPL is expected to be called up for three match series against India.
India arrive in the island next week and will play three T-20 Internationals in Kandy while the ODIs will take place in Colombo.
It remains to be seen what kind of squad India will name for the series. The Indians are currently in Zimbabwe with a second-string side.
Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja are retired from T-20 cricket after being crowned World Champions in Barbados last month. Hardik Pandya is expected to be named new captain. It remains to be seen whether India will name Jasprit Bumrah in the squad. India are under a new Head Coach – Gautam Gambhir.