Chameera ruled out of Test for several months

Seamer Dushmantha Chameera is likely to miss red-ball cricket in the foreseeable future following medical advice to skip the longer format to manage his workload until an operation is performed to sort out a longtime ankle niggle. He has been cleared to play the two shorter formats.

Chameera was expected to take the field in the ongoing second Test against India in place of injured seamer Lahiru Kumara. But Sri Lanka Cricket’s (SLC) medical panel headed by Prof. Arjuna de Silva had asked the 30-year-old to be rested after the complaint of a discomfort.

De Silva said that they made the recommendation on the advice of renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. David Young who has advised him not to play Test cricket until the operation.

“If he plays the longer format there’s a good chance of him completely breaking down,” said Prof. de Silva. So we have given our recommendation to the selectors and it’s up to them to decide whether to play him or not. We need his services for the World Cup than for Test cricket.”

“He can play the short format and that, too, we need to manage his workload. Even though he will play the IPL, he cannot play every match,” he added.

The operation is expected to be performed after the World Cup.

“We wanted to play him but the medical advice says not to,” said Chief Selector Pramodya

Wickremasinghe.

“When the medical committee says not to play him in Test matches, we can only respect their decision. This is what happened”.

His withdrawal has deeply weakened the Sri Lankan attack for the match and with Suranga Lakmal retiring at the end of the series and injuries striking the seamers, the team’s fast bowling stocks are worryingly limited ahead of a busy international schedule.

“When Ramesh Mendis and Binura Fernando got injured during the T20 series, we were to send Ashain Daniel, Asitha Fernando and Pramod Madushan as injury cover but this did not happen due to a visa delay. So when Lahiru Kumara got injured, we decided to play Chameera but then we had advice from medics against it,” Wickremasinghe explained reasons that led to Chameera’s exclusion from the playing XI.

SLC, however, said they would address the issue directly with the player when he returns to the Island next week at the conclusion of the ongoing series in India.

“We are looking at going for the operation early and getting him ready for the World Cup. However, we need to discuss this with the player and decide. Also, we will monitor his workload at the IPL, even if he goes there,” he said.