Sri Lanka will be buoyed by the fact that their former captain Angelo Mathews will play the One-Day International series against India as an all-rounder. Mathews returned to international cricket in June after a lay off of five months having sustained a hamstring injury, but only played as a specialist batsman. "It's a big relief that Angelo will be able to bowl for us again," Sri Lanka's chairman of selectors Sanath Jayasuriya told Cricbuzz on Thursday (August 17).

"We have to manage him carefully and he is at the moment not ready to bowl full quota of ten overs, but he he will certainly be able to bowl five to six overs. That's a big plus point for us as it helps us to balance the side." Mathews, who stepped down from captaincy after Sri Lanka's stunning loss to Zimbabwe last month, has taken 111 wickets in 187 ODIs at 34.04.

Sri Lanka are under fire after being whitewashed by India in the three-Test series. Sri Lanka lost the first Test in Galle by 304 runs, the second Test in Colombo by an innings and 53 runs while losing the third Test in Kandy by an innings and 171 runs. The first two Tests ended inside four days while the third Test lasted only three days. Mathews, Sri Lanka's best batsman was a huge disappointment during the series, as he managed just one half-century in six innings. The first ODI of the five-match series gets underway on Sunday in Dambulla.

Courtesy:Cricbuzz