Mathews set to play as batsman in India Tests

Cape Town - Sri Lanka's bowling coach Rumesh Ratnayake says all-rounder Angelo Mathews will not bowl in the upcoming Test series in India and will only play as a specialist batsman. 

Mathews has returned to the Sri Lanka squad after missing the series in the UAE against Pakistan with a leg injury. 

The 30-year-old only bowled five overs in his team's only warm-up game against a Board President's XI ahead of the first Test that starts in Kolkata on 16 November. 

Ratnayake said: "Angelo comes in as a batsman. He has not bowled in a Test match for a while. I don't think he will bowl here. 

"We consider him more as a white-ball bowler and will look to bowl him in the ODIs only."

Ratnayake is happy with Sri Lanka's preparations for the three-match series even though they only one warm-up game and training back home was cut short because of heavy rains.

He continued: "We have done all that we could have done to prepare for this challenge. Now it's all about executing our plans on the field."