SL vs AUS | Three more Sri Lankan players tested positive ahead of second Test

Sri Lanka have lost another three players to Covid-19 as Dhananjaya de Silva, Jeffrey Vandersay and Asitha Fernando tested positive for the virus ahead of the second Test match against Australia, which will commence from July 8 in Galle. Left arm-leg spinner Lakshan Sandakan has been added to the squad.

According to reports, the three Sri Lankan players were not feeling well and the entire squad was tested for the virus on Wednesday. 

The total count of positive cases in the series now rises to five in the Sri Lankan camp. They have already lost Praveen Jayawickrama, who tested positive for the virus on Monday and was ruled out of the second Test.

Alarm bells ringing; trouble calling

Earlier in the series, Angelo Mathews tested positive in the middle of the First Test in Galle. However, the 35-year-old completed his isolation on Tuesday and has been declared fit to play in the Final Test of the two match series.

Jeffrey  Vandersay made his Test debut in the First Test and is now out of the Second Test against Australia. The hosts will miss Dhananjaya de Silva in their middle order and in form seamer Asitha Fernando. 

Sri Lanka released Lasith Embuldeniya from the squad earlier, which means we might see Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage making their Test debut. 

Lakshitha Manasinghe and Prabath Jayasuriya are also two options for Sri Lanka who had been added to the squad earlier this week. 

Australia, who are staying in the same hotel as Sri Lanka, have not had any positive cases till now.  The isolated players were previously staying in the same hotel, but had been moved to another hotel after the latest three new cases.

The Lankans are looking to bounce back after losing the first Test by 10 wickets.