Colombo, July 03: Muttiah Muralitharan has been ruled out of the first Test against Pakistan in Galle starting on Saturday due to a minor knee injury.
The offspinner hurt his patella tendon while training on the eve of the game and has been advised rest. The selectors have called up left-arm spinner Rangana Herath and offspinner Suraj Mohamed as replacements.
Mohamed, who is yet to play for Sri Lanka, took four wickets against the visitors in the three-day tour match in Colombo which ended on Wednesday. One among them will be expected to partner Ajantha Mendis, who is now the senior spinner.
—–Agencies