The Sri Lankan team’s decision to drop opening batsman Lahiru Udara—who recently recorded a career-best score of 188 in a Test match against the West Indies—has raised concerns regarding team selection, particularly given the current shortage of successful opening batsmen.
This decision comes at a time when the availability of another opener, Pathum Nissanka, remains uncertain due to fitness issues.
Lahiru Udara, who has represented Sri Lanka in five Test matches, has accumulated a total of 313 runs at an average of 34.77, including one century.
His two most recent Test appearances were against India; while he scored 43 runs across two innings in Galle, he managed only 4 runs in Colombo.
However, the decision to drop him has sparked significant debate, as no clear specialist replacement has been named to open the batting alongside Nissanka. Uncertainty regarding Nissanka’s fitness necessitates significant changes to Sri Lanka’s batting lineup.
One option is for Pasindu Sooriyabandara to open the innings. If Pathum Nissanka does not play, Kusal Mendis could also be considered for the opening role, potentially paving the way for newcomer Anjala Bandara to join the team as wicketkeeper.
Udara’s exclusion is particularly notable given that, prior to his most recent Test match, he had recorded the highest score of his Test career—188 runs—across four innings against the West Indies.
The uncertainty surrounding Nissanka’s fitness, combined with the lack of an established opening partnership, has raised questions regarding the selection committee’s strategy for Sri Lanka’s top-order batting in the upcoming Test series.
Sinhala 
English