Former Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews will resume bowling in international cricket during the ODI series against India. Rumesh Ratnayake confirmed the news, the bowling coach of Sri Lanka,
“If he is chosen into the ODIs, which I am sure he will, he will bowl. He is practising bowling in the nets already. Angelo has got a very acute injury. It’s not only the thighs now, it’s gone to the calves as well. We are very cautious of what he does and how he does things. He is managed carefully.” he said.
Mathews did not bowl in the Test series against India but resumed to bowl in the ODI series. He bowled a total of 17 overs in five games for 75 runs and scalped two wickets. However, he could not be tested to the fullest as he missed the Pakistan series due to a calf strain and only made a comeback during the ongoing series.
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He is batting at number four in the Test matches as a specialist batsman but has only scored one half-century in four innings. Surely, the team would be relieved if he resumes bowling during ODI series.
Sri Lanka will have a new captain during the ODI series in the form of Thisara Perera, who has replaced Upul Tharanga. Surprisingly, Tharanga has been dropped as captain after just two series as full-time captain. Though in all the eight ODIs which Sri Lanka played under him (as full-time captain) they suffered a defeat.
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Firstly, they were clean swept by India in Sri Lanka in five-match ODI series followed by a clean sweep against Pakistan in UAE as well. Tharanga led in three ODIs against India as he was suspended for two ODIs due to slow over rate.
Tharanga did well in the ODI series against Sri Lanka and scored 199 runs, emerging as second highest run-scorer in the series. Team’s poor performance meant that he was dropped as captain.
Also, team’s poor over rate was another reason behind him being dropped as captain. Apart from being banned during India series, he was also suspended during ICC Champions Trophy when he stood for Angelo Mathews after the former was injured. All this went against him and selectors decided to rope in Perera as ODI captain.
The ODI series between India and Sri Lanka will start on December 10 in Dharamsala, and the last game for the tour will be played on December 24 which will be a T20I.
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