Why was Jeffrey Vandersay picked over Malinda Pushpakumara for the third Test?

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), on Tuesday, named Jeffrey Vandersay as the replacement of Rangana Herath who complained of the back pain ahead of the third Test against India. The decision left many befuddled as Malinda Pushpakumara was the front-runner and could have been the ideal replacement for the veteran left-arm spinner. However, it has emerged that he couldn’t pass the fitness test and hence wasn’t picked for the series.

Herath bowled as many as 39 overs in the recently concluded second Test match in Nagpur where India piled on 610 runs for the loss of just 6 wickets. They were kept on the field by the hosts for a whopping 176.1 overs which might have taken a toll on his back. The team also suffered the worst defeat ever in their history of Test cricket by an inning and 239 runs. Though Vandersay could be drafted in right away for the final Test as Sri Lanka look to level the series.

Selectors in favour of Pushpakumara

According to the reports on Cricket Age, Malinda Pushpakumara was not able to pass the fitness test which has been made mandatory to enter the national team. The sports minister instructed the tests mandatory for every national player to be selected. The highly talented left-arm spinner was the best performer for the ‘A’ side during the recently concluded series against West Indies A on the home soil.

Jeffrey Vandersay, on the other hand, is a leg-spinner and has flown in to replace the highly experienced Herath. He might make his debut against the nicely gelled Indian side who will look to make it 2-0 in Delhi ahead of the limited-overs leg of the tour. The youngster has a great chance though to make his mark and script a memorable performance for his side. The third and final Test match of the series will commence on December 2.