Gavaskar re-joins TMS

Gavaskar scored 34 Test centuries during his career

Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar and former Sri Lankan batsman Roshan Mahanama will be part of the Test Match Special commentary team this summer.

Sri Lanka and India will both be playing Test series against England and taking part in a triangular one-day series.

Gavaskar caused controversy during the winter with repeated attacks on the English team in his column for the Hindustan Times newspaper, describing them in one article as "the champion whingers of the world".

He also wrote: "If anybody has made the game boring over the years it is solely England with its misplaced theories and notions about the game."

His comments prompted an angry response from the England management team, who complained to the International Cricket Council for whom Gavaskar chairs an important committee.

"It's very sad when a good wine goes sour" was coach Duncan Fletcher's response to Gavaskar's criticism.

Mahanama retired from international cricket in 1999

Mahanama, meanwhile, was recently appointed to the Interim Committee which runs Sri Lankan cricket.

"Mahanama and Gavaskar are truly two of the world's greatest cricketers and it is great to have them working alongside our very strong team," said TMS producer Peter Baxter.

Middlesex skipper Angus Fraser, who retired next month to concentrate full-time on media work, and former England skipper Graham Gooch will also be part of the TMS team, together with regulars Jonathan Agnew, Christoper Martin-Jenkins, Henry Blofeld, Simon Mann, Vic Marks and Mike Selvey.

TEST MATCH SPECIAL will be providing live ball-by-ball coverage of England's forthcoming Test series against Sri Lanka on on Radio 4 198 LW, and on Radio 5 Live Sports Extra, on digital radio or on digital satellite TV, channel 907