Sri Lanka drop Mendis, Silva for India Tests

Sri Lanka on Sunday dropped the out-of-form top order batsmen Kusal Mendis and Kaushal Silva from the squad for a three-match Test series against India starting in Kolkata next week.

The board brought back all-rounders Dasun Shanaka and Dhananjaya de Silva to the squad led by Dinesh Chandimal.

Former skipper and all-rounder Angelo Mathews has recovered from a recurring calf injury and was included in the squad.

During Sri Lanka's home series against India, the hosts lost all nine games -- three Tests, five one-day internationals and a lone Twenty20 -- between July and September.

After playing the first Test in Kolkata from November 16-20, the teams move to Nagpur for the second, which starts on November 24. The final Test will be played in Delhi between December 2-6.

Squad: Dinesh Chandimal, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Lahiru Thirimanne, Rangana Herath, Suranga Lakmal, Dilruwan Perera, Lahiru Gamage, Lakshan Sandakan, Vishwa Fernando, Dasun Shanaka, Niroshan Dickwella and Roshen Silva.

Sri Lanka announce new batting coach

Sri Lanka Sunday announced it was contracting former Test batsman Thilan Samaraweera as the batting coach to groom the national team in the run up to the 2019 World Cup.

The 41-year-old Samaraweera, who retired from Test cricket in 2013, had been a batting consultant for the Bangladesh team, Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement.

"SLC announces today the recruitment of former Sri Lankan right hand batsman Thilan Samaraweera as batting coach to the national team for a period of three years," it said.

Samaraweera is due to join the Sri Lanka squad before they leave for India later this week to play three Tests, three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 games.

Sri Lanka currently has an interim head coach -- South African Nic Pothas -- who took the place of Graham Ford after he quit in June, midway through a 45-month contract.

Sri Lanka has had a dismal record recently losing all nine international games during a home series against India between July and September.

They won a two-match Test series against Pakistan, but lost all five one-day internationals and the three T20 matches last month.