Chief selector Pramodya Wickramasinghe has opened up on the reasons why batsman Avishka Fernando was left out of the Sri Lanka squad to tour Bangladesh.
“I have not selected any player for any team without considering their fitness. As per the new system in place, a fitness test takes place every 40 days. If any player fails the test, he has 40 days to work on his fitness and try to pass the next fitness test” Wickramasinghe told Derana.
He also said that receives a fitness report from the trainer for all players prior to the selection process.
“If any player failed a fitness test and later passed one, the trained updates that in his report before submitting to me. Avishka had done a fitness test previously and his selection decision was based on that. We don’t do fitness tests for each and every series” the chief selector went on to say.
Sri Lanka ODI team will miss the services of Avishka Fernando considering his recent form and ability to play match winning knocks.
In Sri Lanka’s last 10 ODI wins, Avishka has won the Man of Match award the most (3 times), while Angelo Mathews has won it 2 times. Sri Lanka squad to Bangladesh does not include both of them.
“Avishka has the opportunity to prove his fitness by passing the next Fitness test and be eligible for selection for the English tour. He is definitely in our plans” Promodya added.