Sri Lankan left-handed batsman Kusal Perera has turned down the IPL contract due to wishing to play for the national team in all three formats. He was Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) initial choice to replace Australian cricketer David Warner.
After SRH skipper David Warner’s suspension from IPL 2018, 27-years old Kusal Perera was offered to replace him. But after his denial to join in the IPL, SRH signed English opener Alex Hales for the replacement of David Warner.
During the approaching time, an SRH official told Cricket Age, “Yes, we have approached Kusal Perera as a replacement for Warner. Like Warner, he is also a devastating batsman and our analyst informed us that he has been in tremendous form in last few months. Though nothing has finalized as yet, we are hopeful Perera will join our squad.”
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Previously, Kusal Perera played two IPL matches for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2013.
But now, Kusal Perera rejected that offer and chose to play the first class cricket to prove himself for the longer-format.
Daniel Alexander, the Administrator at islandcricket.lk, posted on his official Twitter account, “Sri Lanka’s Kusal Janith Perera has reportedly rejected an IPL offer (Warner replacement) to play domestic first-class tournament to work on Test recall. @KusalJPerera #SriLanka #LKA”
Sri Lanka's Kusal Janith Perera has reportedly rejected an IPL offer (Warner replacement) to play domestic first-class tournament to work on Test recall. @KusalJPerera #SriLanka #LKA
— Daniel Alexander (@daniel86cricket) March 30, 2018
According to Perera’s manager Ravi de Silva, Perera was excited with the IPL offer but he wants to feature the national side in the all three international formats, and that’s why he turned down that offer.
Ravi de Silva claimed, “He was very excited by the offer. But he wants to win back his place in the national side. So he is keen to play in the Super Fours Provincial Tournament and prove himself.”
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Though Kusal Perera is the regular ODI and T20I member for Sri Lankan cricket team, he has played his last Test in December 2016.
To make a comeback in the Test squad, Perera chose to play 2017/18 Super Four Provincial Tournament which has already begun from April 30. In this tournament, Perera is the vice-captain of Dambulla. However, he missed the first game of the tournament due to an injury.
Perera’s manager said that Perera will play at least one game in this tournament. Ravi said on that, “He will, however, play at least one match in the tournament. He is very keen to represent Sri Lanka in all three formats.”
Perera was in the brilliant form during recently concluded T20I home tri-series (Nidahas Trophy). Though Sri Lanka failed to qualify for the final, Perera was the most runs scorer in that tournament. He scored total 204 runs in 4 matches with 51.00 average and hit three half-centuries in that tournament.
