Sri Lanka regular opening batsman, Oshada Fernando is likely to miss the opening Test match against England, which begins on Thursday at the Galle Stadium.
The 28-year-old right-hander twisted his ankle during the Lanka Premier League (LPL) T20 Tournament in Hambantota while playing for the Dambulla Viiking Team against the Kandy Tuskers Team.
However, Fernando toured South Africa but missed both Test matches at Centurion and Johannesburg as Sri Lanka were routed 0-2 by the Proteas. He has been included in the Sri Lanka Squad for the two-Test series against England but reliable sources revealed that he is likely to be rested for this game.
“Oshada Fernando has commenced training in the nets and is able to run also but is out of match-practices for over a month,” the source revealed yesterday.
“We would rest him for the opening Test and may include him in the second Test which begins on January 22 at the same venue,” the source added further.
Fernando, who made his Test debut against South Africa at Durban in 2019, is considered as one of the top players to emerge in to the National Team in the recent past. He scored his maiden Test hundred against Pakistan at Karachi in 2019 and has a current average of 43.66 from his six matches.
