Charith Asalanka is the new captain of the Sri Lanka men’s T20I team. The news was confirmed when Sri Lanka Cricket announced the 16-man squad to face India in a three-match series starting July 27.

Asalanka, who takes over from Wanindu Hasaranga after the latter had stepped down from the role  earlier this month following a six-month stint, is no stranger to captaincy, though. He had 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 other big news is the return of the 34-year-old Dinesh Chandimal to Sri Lanka’s T20I fold. He last played a T20I back in early 2022, but his form in the LPL this year, where he struck 287 runs across eight matches at a strike rate of 168.82 – far above his career strike rate of 123.03 – opening the innings, made a strong case for his inclusion.

But with one stalwart entering another made way, with Angelo Mathews, now 37, left out of the squad despite also having had a good time in the LPL.

Included is another surprise inclusion, the uncapped Chamindu Wickremasinghe. The 21-year-old allrounder from Kandy, who has been putting in time at the MRF Pace Academy in India, caught the eye of selectors following a breakout LPL campaign this past month. A right-arm seamer who can also bat, he showed great maturity for his 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.

His rise is all the more remarkable seeing that he went unsold during the LPL auction, but was signed by the Dambulla franchise after their forced ownership change had offered up the opportunity to bring in unsigned players.

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

[Cricinfo]