Sri Lanka Test Captain Dhananjaya de Silva has revealed the reasons behind Niroshan Dickwella’s inclusion in the squad for the upcoming series against India.

Addressing the media, de Silva said Dickwella was initially left out after Kusal Mendis was brought in at No. 7.

However, Dickwella has been included in the squad following Kusal Mendis being ruled out of the test series due to injury . 

“When playing in Galle, an important aspect is to have someone with strong glovework and wicketkeeping. This decision was taken after discussions with the selectors and coaches. Dickwella emerged among the top candidates when considering glovework,” Dhananjaya de Silva said, explaining the reason for Dickwella’s inclusion. 

The two‑match Test series against India begins tomorrow (15) in Galle, with the second Test scheduled for August 23 in Colombo. (Newswire)

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Former Sri Lanka Test captain Dimuth Karunaratne has weighed in on the debate surrounding Niroshan Dickwella’s inclusion in Sri Lanka’s Test squad, saying the selectors may have considered his wicketkeeping ability and experience in the longer format.

Karunaratne said there had been considerable discussion and controversy over Dickwella’s selection.

However, he believes Anjala Bandara and Sadeera Samarawickrama are currently ahead of Dickwella in terms of recent form and batting performances.

Despite this, Karunaratne said the upcoming series represents an important opportunity for Dickwella to prove himself and could have a significant bearing on his future in Test cricket.

He also wished his former teammate well ahead of the series, describing it as potentially one of the most challenging and important of Dickwella’s career.

Dickwella has been recalled to Sri Lanka’s Test squad after a three-year absence from international cricket. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has announced that Niroshan Dickwella has been granted permission to resume playing cricket across all formats with immediate effect.

Issuing a statement, the SLC said this follows the decision by the Sri Lanka Anti-Doping Agency (SLADA) to reduce Dickwella’s 3-year ban to 3 months.
The 3-year ban was imposed by the SLADA on the 13th of August, 2024, as it detected a prohibited substance in a test report, following a random anti-doping test conducted on the player.

However, the latest decision by the agency to reduce the time period of his sanction comes following an appeal made by the player, supported by relevant evidence, which has confirmed Dickwella has not consumed any banned substances during the “competition period” and that the identified substance was unrelated to “enhancing sports performance.”

The SLC said in light of this clearance, Niroshan Dickwella is now eligible to participate in all competitions conducted by the cricket administration. (Newswire)

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The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has reduced Sri Lankan cricketer Niroshan Dickwella’s cricket ban to 3 months from three years.

Following an appeal made by the cricketer, it was found that he had consumed a substance of abuse out of competition and that it was unrelated to sports performance.

As such, the WADA announced yesterday that Dickwella’s three-year ineligibility period imposed by the disciplinary panel should be reduced to 03 months, commencing on 13 August 2024.

When inquired, Farveez Mahroof the Secretary of the cricketer’s Club, the Nondescripts Cricket Club where Dickwella trains, told Newswire that the cricketer had informed the club of WADA’s decision.

Mahroof further said that the club was now awaiting clearance from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) in this regard. 

Even though Dickwella has been allowed to train with the club, a future decision on his eligibility will be taken based on the SLC’s decision, he added. 

On August 16 this year, SLC confirmed that Dickwella was suspended from participating in all forms of cricket with immediate effect due to an alleged anti-doping violation.

Dickwella was found guilty of a doping violation during the 2024 Lanka Premiere League (LPL) following a doping test conducted by the Sri Lanka Anti-Doping Agency. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has announced the suspension of cricketer Niroshan Dickwella following an alleged Anti-Doping Violation.

Issuing a statement, the SLC said cricketer Niroshan Dickwella has been suspended from participating in all forms of cricket due to an alleged anti-doping violation. 

The suspension is effective immediately and will remain in place until further notice. 

The test, which was conducted by the Sri Lanka Anti-Doping Agency (SLADA) during the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2024, is part of SLC’s ongoing commitment to maintaining the integrity of the sport. 

This initiative, undertaken in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports and per the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) guidelines, is aimed at ensuring that cricket remains free from the influence of prohibited substances. 

SLC, together with the Ministry of Sports and SLADA, conducts these tests during domestic tournaments randomly to safeguard the sport against anti-doping violations. 

The commitment to a clean and fair game is of utmost importance to SLC, and any allegations of violations are taken with the highest level of seriousness, the statement read. (Newswire)

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