Sri Lanka vs India: Arjuna Ranatunga Slams Sri Lanka Over Indian "B Team" Tour

Former Sri Lanka skipper Arjuna Ranatunga slammed Sri Lanka Cricket for agreeing to a tour by a "second-level" India side.

Sri Lanka's World Cup-winning skipper Arjuna Ranatunga on Friday slammed the island's sports leaders for agreeing to a tour by a "second-level" India side. Ranatunga, 57, said the tour undermined the country's "dignity" as he attacked Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa and Sri Lanka Cricket. India's team led by Shikhar Dhawan arrived in Sri Lanka on Monday to prepare for the three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 games that start July 13. Top stars Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant were noted absentees. All are preparing for a Test series in England next month. "The Indian squad that came to Sri Lanka is not their best, it is a second-level team," Ranatunga said. "Didn't our sports minister or cricket administrators know this." "Sri Lanka may have gone down (in the rankings), but as a cricketing nation we have an identity, we have dignity, we should not be sending our best to play an Indian B team." Ranatunga, who led Sri Lanka to its 1996 World Cup triumph, said the game's administration had deteriorated and called for a major clean-up to improve playing standards and skills.