Atapattu rejects Australia tour

Atapattu was Test captain for three years until December 2005

Former Sri Lanka captain Marvan Atapattu has rejected the opportunity of a return in the two-Test series in Australia starting on 8 November.

Selectors met with Atapattu, who has not played at international level since February, but he declined their offer.

Jehan Mubarak and Thilan Samaraweera are included, with Tillakaratne Dilshan and Malinda Warnapura omitted.

Fast bowler Chanaka Welagedera, 26, earns a chance after impressing in domestic action recently.

Star spinner Muttiah Muralitharan is expected to recover sufficiently from the bicep injury that kept him out of the opening matches of the one-day series against England.

The mercurial 35-year-old, who had his action called into question on previous visits to Australia, needs only eight wickets to level Shane Warne's Test record of 708 victims.

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Sri Lanka squad: Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Kumar Sangakkara (wkt), Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Michael Vandort, Chamara Silva, Thilan Samaraweera, Jehan Mubarak, Prasanna Jayawardene, Chaminda Vaas, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, Farveez Maharoof, Chanaka Welagedera, Muttiah Muralitharan, Malinga Bandara.