Rangana Herath to miss third Test against India in Pallekele

Sri Lanka have rested veteran spinner Rangana Herath for the third and final Test against India in Pallekele to manage his workload.

The 39-year-old bowled close to 72 overs in the only Test against Zimbabwe and picked 11 wickets in it as Sri Lanka edged out the visitors by just four wickets.

In the first Test against India in Galle, Herath bowled 49 overs and picked a solitary wicket while in the second Test in Colombo, he was made to earn his four-wicket haul after bowling 42 overs in the only innings, Virat Kohli's men batted.

The news couldn't have come at a wrong time for Sri Lanka, who have already lost Nuwan Pradeep and Asela Gunaratne to injuries that they sustained in the second and first Test against India respectively.

Team manager Asanka Gurusinha urged on the importance to keep their number one spinner in good shape as they face Pakistan in two months time.

"This is where our player management comes in, because we don't want to break anyone," said Gurusinha.

"We made the call not to risk Herath because he's also bowled close to 200 overs in the three Tests. That's a lot for his body."

The replacements for Herath and Pradeep will be announced by the selectors in due course time.

Sri Lanka have already lost the series following their defeats in Galle and Colombo and now will face India for one final time in the longer format this season at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium between 12th and 16th August.

© Cricket World 2017