Australia Vs Sri Lanka: Vishwa Fernando replaces injured Nuwan Pradeep in Sri Lanka squad

Brisbane, Jan 23: Vishwa Fernando has been called up to the Sri Lanka Test squad to face Australia as a replacement for Nuwan Pradeep.

Seamer Pradeep was ruled out of the two-match series due to a grade one strain of his left hamstring.

Fernando, who has not featured for his country in Test cricket since winning his second cap against India in August 2017, will head to Australia to take Pradeep's place.

Sri Lanka have never won a Test on Australian soil and captain Dinesh Chandimal is desperate to make history in the series, which begins with a day-nighter at the Gabba.

"One of my dreams as a captain and player is to win a Test match here," said Chandimal.

"But that's not an easy thing coming here. You have to do a lot of hard work, that has to come from all 11 players for all five days.

"That's what we are looking at as a team. It is a really good opportunity to make history and we just want to do that as a team."

Opta facts

- Australia have not lost a Test at the Gabba since 1988, West Indies the opponents on that occasion, and are currently enjoying a 29-game unbeaten run at the venue in Brisbane.

- Sri Lanka have lost 10 of the 12 Test series they've played against Australia, but they did win the most recent encounter, 3-0 in 2016, on home soil.

- Australia go into the series with just one win in their last nine Test outings, losing six times and drawing twice.

- Mitchell Starc is in line to make his 50th Test appearance - he has 199 wickets to his name. The paceman has taken 34 scalps in Tests against Sri Lanka at an average of 19.1.