Hamstring injuries continue to hamper Sri Lanka’s ongoing tour of Australia with pacer Lahiru Kumara the latest player to be sidelined for a prolonged spell.
The Sri Lanka pacer had picked up the injury on day two of the first Test against Australia at Brisbane and did not bat or bowl for the remainder of the match.
The visitors fell to a crushing defeat by an innings and 40 runs in the first Test on Saturday and now trail 0-1 in the two-match series.
Speaking to the media after the loss, Sri Lanka skipper Dinesh Chandimal confirmed that Kumara is out of contention for the second Test against Australia which gets underway on February 1.
“Kumara is out for four to six weeks. So he’s out of the next game,” Chandimal stated.
While the pacer will play no part in the remainder of the Australian tour, he has now also been effectively ruled out of the first Test against South Africa whom Sri Lanka are due to tour next month.
Kumara will join Nuwan Pradeep on the sidelines.
Kumara’s injury is the latest in a spate of hamstring injuries for the Sri Lankans. Star batsman Angelo Mathews was the first casualty after he picked up a hamstring strain in the second Test against New Zealand. Mathews was subsequently ruled out of the tour of Australia.
Pacer Nuwan Pradeep too succumbed to hamstring troubles last week and has been ruled out of the ongoing series against Australia.
The visitors’ bench strength will be now be tested greatly in the second and final Test against Australia which will take place at the Manuka Oval in Canberra.