Murali named Vice Captain for first test against India

Sri Lanka on Friday named retiring spinner Muttiah Muralitharan as the vice-captain and brought back seamer Lasith Malinga for the first Test against India starting on July 18 at Galle.

Muralitharan will be Kumar Sangakkara's deputy in the Galle Test before he quits the longer version of the game.

The selectors also brought back the pace duo of Malinga and Dilhara Fernando, naming them in the 16-member squad, which includes uncapped batsman Lahiru Thirimanne.

The 26-year-old Malinga has played 28 Tests so far, the last being against England in December 2007.

On the other hand, 30-year-old Fernando, a veteran of 33 Tests, is making a comeback since the tour of Pakistan last year.

Sri Lanka squad:
Kumar Sangakkara (captain), Muttiah Muralitharan (vice-captain), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Tharanga Paranawithana, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Anjelo Mathews, Prasanna Jayawardena, Lasith Malinga, Rangana Herath, Dilhara Fernando, Dhammika Prasad, Suraj Randiv, Thilina Kandamby, Chanaka Welagedara and Lahiru Thirimanna.