Sri Lanka's sports minister has ordered cricketers playing in the lucrative Indian Premier League to make themselves available for training for the national team's tour of England next month.

Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said national team duties must be a priority over playing in the IPL, Media Secretary Harsha Abeykoon said Wednesday.

Sri Lanka is scheduled to play three test matches, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 match against England starting in the middle of May.

Among the players who could be called back from the IPL are former captains Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakartne Dilshan, as well as Lasith Malinga and Suraj Randiv.

Sri Lanka has yet to appoint a new national team captain after Sangakkara resigned shortly after his team lost to India in the World Cup final earlier this month.