Australia vs Sri Lanka 2019: Chamika Karunaratne Drafted to the Test Squad as Injury Crisis Looms Large
Published - 28 Jan 2019, 07:22 PM | Updated - 22 Aug 2024, 11:59 PM
Sri Lanka Cricket team have added Chamika Karunaratne for the Test series against Australia as injury concerns loom large over their fast bowlers. Meanwhile, Lahiru Kumara and Dushmantha Chameera, who picked up injuries during the pink-ball Test in Brisbane, will head back home.
Kumara suffered a hamstring injury on day two of the first Test at the Gabba. However, Kumara’s injury, expected to take up to six weeks to heal, will likely rule him out of the first Test in South Africa which starts in Durban on February 13. Moreover, Nuwan Pradeep suffered an ankle injury before the start of the series. It further aggravated which compelled skipper Dinesh Chandimal to admit that he will return to home and undergo a rehabilitation program.
As a result, the selectors had to pick the 22-year-old Chamika Karunaratne. So far, he has had a mediocre stint in the first-class stint with an average of 34.16 with the ball. However, he had a good run in recent A game against the Ireland A side. Karunaratne picked up 3 for 99 and backed his bowling efforts with an unbeaten 100 after Ireland A put Sri Lanka A to follow on.
Meanwhile, Australia took a 1-0 lead in Brisbane beating Sri Lanka by an innings and 40 runs. The batsmen struggled to put up a good show with the bat as they were all out for 144 and 139 in both the innings respectively. Pat Cummins starred with the ball returning with a ten-wicket haul in the match.
