Akila Dananjaya, who played the last six tests back in 2019, has been named in the Sri Lanka squad for the Bangladesh tests.

The SLC has announced an 18-member squad for the first test of the Bangladesh tour of Sri Lanka 2025, which also marks the beginning of their World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 campaign.

Sri Lanka has decided to bring in youngsters after Dimuth Karunaratne’s retirement and Angelo Matthews, who is set to retire after the Bangladesh tests.

The 31-year-old can bowl off-breaks, will be joining the spinner Tharindu Rathnayake in the squad as the third genuine spin bowling option apart from Prabath Jayasuriya. He also has 7305 runs in 105 FC matches to his name.

Akila Dananjaya has returned to the test squad after impressing in his last five FC class games, picking up 37 wickets in them at an average of 25.37 and five five-fers to his name.

Meanwhile, opening batter Lahiru Udara and spin bowling all-rounder Sonal Dinusha were earlier part of Sri Lanka’s tour to Australia but they are yet to earn their test caps.

The Sri Lanka’s Battle Pathum Nissanka, Dinesh Chandimal, Angeelo Matthews, Dhananjaya De Silva, Kamindu Mendis Bealing Till The Seventh Mendis Beal.

Several new faces in the Squad are Passindu Syrians, Pavan Rathnayake, and Isita Wijesundara will be part of sri lanka’s money in tests.

However, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nishan Peries and Vishwa Fernando have been ignored for the upcoming test series opener against Bangladesh. Nishan Madushka has been dropped from the test side after a tough series in England.

The first match will begin on June 17 at Galle International Stadium while the second test will be played between June 25 and 29 at Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground.

Sri Lanka Squad for first Bangladesh Test: Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Pathum Nissanka, Oshada Fernando, Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Tharindu Rathnayake, Akila Dananjaya, Milan Rathnayake, Asitha Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Kusal Mendis, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Sonal Dinusha, Pavan Rathnayake, and Isitha Wijesundara