SL vs IND: Sri Lankan selectors could pick second-string side for India series due to contract dispute with players - Reports

Sri Lankan cricket currently finds itself in a mess both on and off the field. If the latest reports by Sri Lankan newspaper Daily FT are to be believed, then the selectors could pick a second-string squad for the upcoming limited-overs series against India because of contract disputes.

Sri Lankan players are yet to accept their annual contracts. The board has indicated that if the players cannot comply by signing at least 'tour contracts', then they will go ahead and pick a much-changed side for the India series.

The Sri Lankan players are currently in England, where they went after signing just 'voluntary declaration forms'.

The board and players were expected to come to a common consensus by the time the England series ended. However, both parties have not yet arrived at any agreement. The Sri Lankan cricket board has suggested that they will not accept voluntary declaration forms and that players will have to sign a tour contract to be eligible for selection for the India series.

"The Executive Committee on the advice of the Technical and Advisory Committee will have to decide whether the players will have to sign a tour contract. Probably that is the only option left because we are not going ahead with voluntary declaration forms anymore. We will not want to go ahead with any voluntary declaration forms in the future. It was the first time a team had left overseas signing such a document," said SLC CEO Ashley de Silva.

Touchdown Sri Lanka 📍🇱🇰#TeamIndia 🇮🇳 #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/f8oSX7EToh

— BCCI (@BCCI) June 28, 2021

On the field, Kusal Perera and his team will look to avoid a whitewash in the ODI series against England. They take on Eoin Morgan and his men in the third and final ODI today. The Lankans have already lost the T20I series 3-0.

Five Sri Lankan players, including Vishwa Fernando & Lasith Embuldeniya, ruled out of the India series

Lasith Embuldeniya

Five players have already been ruled out of the India series as the likes of Vishwa Fernando, Lasith Embuldeniya, Lahiru Kumara, Ashen Bandara and Kasun Rajitha have refused to sign tour contracts, confirmed the Sri Lankan cricket CEO a few days back. As a result, the players didn't join the bio-bubble cum residential camp in Colombo or Dambulla.

The current annual contract offered by the board rewards players based on their fitness standards and on-field performances. However, the players are not keen to buy into the new model as lawyers representing the cricketers claim they (players) are "not in agreement to sign unfair and non-transparent contracts."

New contracts for Sri Lanka’s cricketers has been a bone of contention. Several players will get pay cuts with Mathews losing USD 50,000. Karunaratne will lose 30k while Lakmal will miss out 45k. Players want formula on which Contract Grades were done explained. Won’t sign until. pic.twitter.com/v3pdswwT2W

— Rex Clementine (@RexClementine) May 15, 2021