Nuwan Thushara OUT of India T20Is after Dushmantha Chameera's blow to Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Cricket Team suffered another blow just days before the start of the upcoming three-match T20I series against India, as their premier fast bowler, Nuwan Thushara, has been sidelined with a broken finger on his left hand. This injury has put a significant dent in Sri Lanka's bowling attack for the crucial home series against Team India.

Nuwan Thushara breaks his finger just days before the India Series

Thushara suffered the injury during a routine fielding drill under lights late Wednesday, July 24. Sri Lankan team manager Mahinda Halangoda confirmed the unfortunate news, but with a big relief that Thushara injured his non-bowling hand.

However, the injury is severe enough to rule him out of the T20I series against India. Thushara became the second player after Dushmantha Chameera to be ruled out of the home series against the Indian cricket team. Notably, Chameera is unavailable due to illness and replaced by Asitha Fernando in the national squad.

Halangoda confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that Thushara has been ruled out of at least the T20I series against India. However, the star pacer can be available for the upcoming three-match ODI series against the Men in Blue, starting on August 2 in Colombo, since his bowling hand is safe.

Nuwan Thushara will be a big miss for Sri Lanka in T20I series against India

Well, a replacement for Thushara has not been announced yet by the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), but left-arm fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka is a likely candidate. The SLC has not also officially confirmed the late setback. It is certainly a massive setback to the Islanders ahead of the crucial India series, as Thushara had been a regular fixture in Sri Lanka's T20I XI this year.

Thushara was one of their standout performers at the T20 World Cup 2024, where the pacer claimed eight wickets across three matches. He had also achieved a T20I hat-trick and delivered a standout performance with figures of 5/20 against Bangladesh earlier this year.

Dushmantha Chameera is still recovering from illness: SLC

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) had confirmed that Chameera is still recovering from a bronchitis and respiratory infection he contracted, resulting in his being sidelined from the upcoming three-match T20I series against India.

The SLC also announced that Asitha Fernando joined the national squad as Chameera’s replacement for the T20I series against the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian team at home.

The SLC said in an official statement: “Dushmantha Chameera is still recovering from a bronchitis and respiratory infection he contracted, and hence will not be part of the T20I series. Asitha Fernando joins the squad in place of Chameera.”

🚨 Dushmantha Chameera is still recovering from a bronchitis and respiratory infection he contracted, and hence will not be part of the T20I series.

Asitha Fernando joins the squad in place of Chameera. #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/U8KPEfn2TK

— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) July 24, 2024

We want to maintain cricket as the gentleman's game: Sanath Jayasuriya

Earlier, Sri Lanka’s newly appointed interim head coach, Sanath Jayasuriya, called for discipline within the national team, as he wants proper haircuts and no piercings on the players to maintain cricket as "the gentlemen's game" during his stint.

Jayasuriya said at the press conference, “We did basic disciplining. We are expecting discipline in general, and I am only an interim coach during my tenure. I want that discipline. Our cricket-loving public loves these cricketers, and they are watching them, and there are young cricketers who are looking up to senior cricketers.

They like to learn from them. If they do well, it would help the younger generation of cricketers as well. It was on this backdrop that we introduced these changes. We want to maintain cricket as the gentleman's game.”