Kusal Perera in for Sri Lanka as Mathews misses Australia series

Kusal Perera has been named in Sri Lanka's Test squad for their series with Australia, with Angelo Mathews missing out due to injury.

Opener Kusal replaces Danushka Gunathilaka, whose highest score across four innings in the recent Test series in New Zealand was eight.

Sri Lanka have turned to Kusal despite less than impressive performances in the Test game in 2018, when he scored a combined 92 runs in six innings.

Mathews remains sidelined because of a hamstring strain that has seen him miss the limited-overs contests with New Zealand.

Sri Lanka, beaten 1-0 by New Zealand in the Tests, will be underdogs for the two-match series in Australia despite the hosts having suffered a first home series defeat to India on Monday.

The Gabba in Brisbane hosts the first Test on January 24, with the second held at the Manuka Oval in Canberra starting February 1.

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Squad in full: Dushmantha Chameera, Dinesh Chandimal (captain), Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Dimuth Karunaratne, Lahiru Kumara, Suranga Lakmal, Kusal Mendis, Dilruwan Perera, Kusal Perera, Nuwan Pradeep, Kasun Rajitha, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Lakshan Sandakan, Roshen Silva, Lahiru Thirimanne.