Sri Lanka's [Images] new president has ordered a government probe into Sanath Jayasuriya's [Images] sacking from the Test squad for a three-match series in India.

Mahinda Rajapakse, elected last month, has appointed Saman Amarasinghe, chairman of the sports council and a former umpire, to head the inquiry.

"There were many requests for an investigation...and I have asked sports minister Jeevan Kumaratunga to look into the matter," Rajapakse told the media.

Experienced opener Jayasuriya's controversial axing followed a lacklustre performance during a seven-match one-day series against India, which Sri Lanka lost 6-1. Jayasuriya, a former captain, scored 85 runs in six innings.

The selectors argued that the decision to drop the 36-year-old for the first time in a decade was primarily due to concerns over his slow-healing dislocated shoulder.

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Jayasuriya, a mainstay of the team since playing a central role in Sri Lanka's 1996 World Cup-winning campaign, has scored 6,580 runs in 100 Tests.

The inquiry is also expected to investigate other controversial selections following speculation that political interference may have contributed to the sacking of Mahela Jayawardene [Images] as vice-captain.