Sri Lankan selectors need to prioritise Test cricket, batting great Kumar Sangakkara says.
In the wake of the touring side's 122-run loss to New Zealand in Dunedin, Sangakkara said the young side would have benefited from the inclusion of experienced players such as top-order batsman Lahiru Thirimanne.
The 26-year-old, with 23 Tests under his belt, was overlooked for the red-ball tour, but remains the nation's One Day International vice-captain.
"Unfortunately there are guys like Thirimanne sitting on the sidelines," Sangakkara told reporters in Hobart, where he is the latest international signing for the Hurricanes Big Bash League franchise.
"Sometimes one-day cricket and T20 cricket overshadow Test cricket but at the end of the day if you're a cricketing nation you want to have the best Test-playing side out there in the middle."
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Thirimanne has scored a century and four 50s in Test cricket and is a "fantastic player" according to Sangakkara, who retired last year after playing 134 Tests during which he made 12,400 runs.
He said Sri Lanka's Test side is very young.
"They are not going to perform overnight miracles.
"We need a good solid one-and-a-half years to really build up.
"Hopefully some consistent selection will also go a long way towards helping that."
Sangakkara noted creditable performances in Dunedin by opener Dimuth Karunaratne (84, 29) and Dinesh Chandimal (83, 58).
Sri Lanka's second Test against NZ starts on Friday in Hamilton.
