Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on Tuesday named Charith Asalanka as T20I captain while announcing the 16-man squad that will take on India in a three-match series starting July 27.

Asalanka replaced Wanindu Hasaranga as the captain after the latter had stepped down from the role earlier this month following a six-month stint that concluded with a forgettable campaign at the T20 World Cup, where Sri Lanka failed to reach the Super Eight stage.

Asalanka had previously led Sri Lanka in two T20Is on the tour of Bangladesh earlier this year when Hasaranga, the captain at the time, was serving a suspension. He has also captained the Sri Lanka Under-19s and, most recently, led Jaffna Kings to the LPL title, after having taken over the reins from Thisara Perera at the start of the season.

The T20I series against India will also mark the return of former skipper Dinesh Chandimal after more than two years while Angelo Matthews, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dhananjaya de Silva and Dilshan Madushanka have been left out of the squad that includes a fresh face in uncapped Chamindu Wickramasinghe.

Chamindu, the 21-year-old allrounder from Kandy, who has been training at the MRF Pace Academy in India, had a breakout LPL campaign last month. A right-arm seamer who can also bat, he showed great maturity for Dambulla Sixers franchise lower down the order, picking up seven wickets across eight games while also scoring 186 runs at a strike rate 131.91 – including two clutch fifties.

Besides Chandimal, Kusal Perera, Avishka Fernando and Binura Fernando also returned to the side. The rest of the side comes through as expected, with Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Dunith Wellalage and Wanindu Hasaranga completing a strong batting line-up.

Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana and Wellalage will be the primary spin-bowling options with support from the ambidextrous Kamindu if needed. The seam-bowling contingent shows good variety with two slingers in Nuwan Thushara and Matheesha Pathirana, Binura’s left-arm seam and Dushmantha Chameera right-arm pace, while Shanaka and Wickramasinghe can also roll their arm over when called upon.

Indian hit the ground for first training session

Meanwhile, the Indian cricket team that landed in the Island nation on Monday, took the field at Kandy, Sri Lanka for the very first training session under the watchful eyes of Gautam Gambhir, who recently took over from Rahul Dravid.

The BCCI shared a video on social media, displaying Gambhir’s leadership role on the field. The official broadcaster also shared a few clips of the Indian cricketers reaching the stadium and entering the field for a practice session.

India and Sri Lanka will play three T20I matches in Pallekele, starting July 27. The second and third matches will be played on July 28 and July 30. The T20I series will be followed by a three-match ODI series will be played at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo from August 2.

Sri Lanka squad for T20I series vs India

Charith Asalanka (capt), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Janith Perera (wk), Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando