by Hishan Welmilla
Sri Lanka’s squad for the opening Test against India has been announced, but it is the return of experienced wicketkeeper-batter Niroshan Dickwella after a lengthy absence that has emerged as the biggest talking point surrounding the selection.
The 16-member squad, selected by the Sri Lanka Cricket selection committee headed by former Test fast bowler Kapila Wijegunawardena, includes Dickwella for the first Test at the Galle International Cricket Stadium from August 15 to 19. The recall comes after almost three years away from Test cricket, with his last Test appearance coming against New Zealand in 2023.
In August 2024, Dickwella was suspended from cricket following an anti-doping rule violation. Reports subsequently stated that the initial three-year ban imposed on him was reduced to three months following an appeal, making him eligible to return to cricket.
That episode inevitably remains part of the discussion surrounding his selection. The question facing the selectors is therefore not simply whether Dickwella has the cricketing ability to play Test cricket again. It is whether he has demonstrated enough on and off the field to justify returning to the national team after such a long interruption.
Dickwella’s inclusion has immediately raised questions among sections of the cricketing public and critics who are questioning the basis on which the selectors have brought him back into the national Test setup.
The 33-year-old left-hander is not an ordinary comeback player. Dickwella has represented Sri Lanka in 54 Tests, scoring 2,757 runs at an average of 30.97, with 22 half-centuries and a highest score of 96. Behind the stumps, he has also made 134 dismissals through catches and stumpings according to current career records.
But critics are entitled to ask why Dickwella, rather than a younger wicketkeeper-batter who has been consistently performing in domestic cricket, has been preferred.
That is the central issue surrounding his recall.
Selection should ultimately be based on current form, fitness, performance and suitability to the team’s requirements. If Dickwella has produced performances strong enough in domestic cricket to convince the selectors, then those performances should be made clear. Transparency would help answer much of the criticism.
There is no doubt that Dickwella possesses considerable international experience. He has played a significant number of Tests for Sri Lanka and has been one of the country’s most naturally aggressive wicketkeeper-batters. His ability to counterattack, rotate the strike and change the momentum of a Test innings has previously made him an important member of Sri Lanka’s middle order.
However, his return after such a long absence inevitably invites scrutiny. The selectors must now explain whether the decision is based primarily on his recent domestic performances, his wicketkeeping ability, his experience, or simply the absence of Kusal Mendis.
Kusal Mendis has been ruled out of the opening Test because of injury, while Pathum Nissanka is also unavailable. In that context, the selectors have opted for experience by bringing Dickwella back into the squad.
The timing of the recall is particularly significant because Sri Lanka face a strong Indian side in a Test series that forms part of the 2025–27 ICC World Test Championship. Dhananjaya de Silva will captain the side, with Kamindu Mendis serving as vice-captain.
The squad also contains an element of youth. Pasindu Sooriyabandara and off-spinner Keshara Nuwantha are among the players who could make their Test debuts, while Dilshan Madushanka has also returned to the Test squad after an extended absence.
That combination of youth and experience makes the Dickwella selection even more intriguing. If he is handed the gloves, he will be expected not only to perform behind the stumps but also to provide stability and aggression with the bat.
The selectors, however, will ultimately be judged by results. A recall of this magnitude carries expectations, particularly when younger wicketkeeping options are competing for national recognition.
For Dickwella, the India Test represents an opportunity to answer his critics on the field. For the Wijegunawardena-led selection committee, it is a decision that will remain under intense scrutiny until the first ball is bowled in Galle.
Sri Lanka squad for First Test against India:
Dhananjaya De Silva (c), Lahiru Udana, Nishan Madushka, Kamindu Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Sonal Dinusha, Niroshan Dickwella, Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Keshara Nuwantha, Milan Rathnayake, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru kumara, Vishwa Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka
Be the first to comment