Colombo, Jan 8 (AFP) Sri Lanka Tuesday recalled batsman Kusal Perera to a 16-member squad for the two-match Test series against Australia starting later this month.

Injuries kept Perera out of the New Zealand Test series which Sri Lanka lost 1-0, but he was included in the shorter formats of the game.

He takes his place back in the Test squad for Australia as selectors dropped Dhanushka Gunathilaka over his poor form in New Zealand.

Following the Test defeat, Sri Lanka also lost the just concluded three-match one-day international series to New Zealand 3-0. A one-off T20 match is due to be played on Friday in Auckland.

The first Test against Australia opens on January 24 in Brisbane and the second starts on February 1 in Canberra.

Sri Lanka Test squad for Australia: Dinesh Chandimal (captain), Dimuth Karunaratne, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dhananjaya de Silva, Roshen Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Perera, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Lahiru Kumara, Dushmantha Chameera and Kasun Rajitha. (AFP) ATK ATK 01082142 NNNNwere given Rs 50 lakh.

Among other awardees were the hockey players who won the bronze in the Jakarta Asian Games. They were awarded Rs 50 lakh each.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)