Kapila Wijegunawardene explains Shanaka selection, Asalanka’s promotion and four-spinner strategy for England
Sri Lanka’s new selection committee has sought to clear the air over several controversial decisions made during its first few months in office, with chief selector Kapila Wijegunawardene explaining the thinking behind Dasun Shanaka’s return, Charith Asalanka’s elevation to white-ball vice-captain and the decision to take four spinners on the upcoming tour of England.
Wijegunawardene, speaking at an hour-long media briefing alongside Sri Lanka Cricket honorary secretary Prakash Schaffter, addressed a number of questions surrounding the national teams and insisted that the selectors’ decisions had been based primarily on cricketing requirements and future planning.
The selection committee, appointed in May, has already faced scrutiny over a number of decisions, including the recall of Niroshan Dickwella to the Test side, Asalanka’s return to the T20I team as vice-captain after previously being dropped, and Shanaka’s recall to the ODI squad after an absence of almost two years.
The omission of several players who impressed during the Lanka Premier League, including Chamindu Wickramasinghe and Chamika Karunaratne, also raised questions about the direction of the selectors.
Why was Asalanka made vice-captain?
One of the biggest changes in Sri Lanka’s leadership structure has been the promotion of Charith Asalanka to white-ball vice-captain.
Kamindu Mendis had been appointed vice-captain earlier this year, largely because he was the only player guaranteed a place across all three formats. However, Asalanka has now moved ahead of him in the white-ball leadership group.
Wijegunawardene said the decision was based on Asalanka’s recent performances, seniority and previous leadership experience.
Asalanka enjoyed an outstanding Lanka Premier League campaign, scoring 385 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 153.38. He also produced a Player-of-the-Match performance with the ball in the final.
“When we were picking the teams for the England tour, Charith Asalanka made it back into both formats based on his performance in the two formats,” Wijegunawardene said.
“And given his seniority and captaincy experience, he was handed the vice-captaincy.”
The chief selector also explained that the change would allow Kamindu Mendis to concentrate more heavily on his batting rather than carrying additional leadership responsibilities.
Why Shanaka was preferred to Rathnayake
Perhaps the most contentious selection decision has been the return of Dasun Shanaka to the ODI side.
Shanaka has been out of the ODI setup for nearly two years, while Milan Rathnayake and Chamika Karunaratne were among those who had pushed their claims through strong performances in domestic cricket and the LPL.
Wijegunawardene, however, said the decision was not simply about choosing the best-performing players. Instead, the selectors were attempting to build a squad capable of meeting specific roles, particularly with next year’s World Cup in South Africa in mind.
Sri Lanka, he said, require a fast-bowling all-rounder capable of batting at No. 7 in the ODI side.
“At this moment, when we look at the list of players, what we have observed is that, in ODIs we need a fast-bowling all-rounder who can bat in the seventh position. That is why we picked Dasun Shanaka,” he said.
The explanation provides an important insight into the selectors’ thinking. Shanaka’s selection was not necessarily viewed as a reward for recent domestic numbers alone, but as an attempt to fill a specific role within the ODI combination.
The inclusion of Janith Liyanage, another batting all-rounder, also influenced the balance of the squad.
Wijegunawardene acknowledged that not every player the selectors wanted could be accommodated.
“There has to be vacancies for us to draft in players. So at times you are not in a position to draft in everybody that you want to draft in,” he said.
Karunaratne had scored 253 runs in the LPL at a strike rate of 157.14, while Rathnayake has also developed a reputation as a powerful hitter, particularly in domestic and A-team cricket.
The selectors, however, insisted that disciplinary concerns surrounding Karunaratne had no bearing on his omission.
“Absolutely not because as selectors, selections are based purely on cricketing criteria and performance,” Wijegunawardene said.
Why four spinners in England?
Another surprise in the England squads is the presence of four spinners in both the ODI and T20I groups.
Traditionally, England conditions are associated with seam movement, bounce and swing, making the decision appear unusual. But the selectors believe the conditions could be different this time around following an unusually hot English summer.
Wijegunawardene said the selectors expect some pitches to be drier and potentially offer greater assistance to spin.
“We take these decisions looking at the pitch and conditions. These days in England it’s quite dry, and we expect the pitches might take more turn than in the past,” he said.
He also pointed out that Sri Lanka have not ignored their pace resources.
“In any case we have four fast bowlers in the squad as well,” he added.
The decision could prove significant if pitches become increasingly worn as the English summer progresses.
There has also been debate over the selection of uncapped Sachindu Colombage ahead of the more experienced Vijayakanth Viyaskanth.
Wijegunawardene said the decision was influenced by Sri Lanka’s preparations for the Asian Games in Japan, where the selectors believe the country has a realistic chance of challenging for a medal.
“We wanted to send a strong team to the Asian Games. Hopefully win a gold medal. That was the reason. And that has been communicated to the player himself,” he said.
Tougher fitness requirements
The selectors have also introduced stricter requirements for players returning from injury following the problems encountered on the West Indies tour.
Lahiru Kumara’s injury during the first Test left Sri Lanka a bowler short for much of the match, prompting SLC to reassess how players returning from injury are cleared for international duty.
“The West Indies tour was a big mistake,” Wijegunawardene said. “That is the main reason we have developed this new policy with the help of the cricket committee.”
Under the new system, players returning from injury must demonstrate match fitness in a domestic fixture before being cleared to travel with the national team.
The policy affected Binura Fernando, who was initially named in the England squad but subsequently missed the tour because he had not played the required domestic match.
Fernando is now playing for Nondescripts Cricket Club as he works towards proving his fitness ahead of the Asian Games.
World Cup planning begins now
The selectors are also adamant that the current changes are being made with the 2027 World Cup firmly in mind.
Sri Lanka have been criticised in the past for making major changes to their squad and combinations shortly before major tournaments. Wijegunawardene said the new committee intends to avoid repeating that pattern.
“Planning is key. And, I can assure you that we are planning to succeed. We are not planning to fail,” he said.
The England series will be followed by engagements against Pakistan and New Zealand, giving the selectors a significant period in which to assess players and settle on the core of their World Cup squad.
“We have a lot of cricket coming up. We have the three ODIs against England, then we have Pakistan, then we travel to New Zealand,” Wijegunawardene said.
“So, before long, we hope we will at least have a semblance of the squad that we ought to be looking at and grooming for the World Cup.”
For Sri Lanka, the coming months will therefore be more than a series of bilateral contests. They will be an extended audition for places in a World Cup squad, with the selectors attempting to settle on the right balance between experience, current form and specific roles well before the tournament begins.
