Pradeep out of series with hamstring injury

Nuwan Pradeep has become the second Sri Lanka player to be ruled out of the Test series against India after suffering an in-game injury. Pradeep could complete only four balls of his 18th over on day one, and left the field clutching his left hamstring. Sri Lanka cricket manager Asanka Gurusinha has now confirmed a grade-one hamstring tear, and said Pradeep would be out of action for a minimum of two weeks.

The news is a substantial blow to Sri Lanka. Not only was Pradeep the form seam bowler in Sri Lanka’s pace battery, he is also the sole frontline quick in the XI for the ongoing game at the SSC. Dimuth Karunaratne’s part-time bowling is their only seam-bowling option for the second innings.

This is also the second successive match in which Sri Lanka are effectively down to 10 men for the majority of the Test. In Galle, Asela Gunaratne shattered bones in his thumb while attempting a catch early on day one, meaning Sri Lanka did not have the benefit of his batting or bowling in the Test.

Pradeep took a career-best 6 for 132 in Galle, where he bowled 43 overs across both innings. He had come into the series after recovering from a hamstring niggle, which he picked up during the preceding series against Zimbabwe. Pradeep has been injury-prone throughout his career.