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Sri Lanka’s Asela Gunaratne has been ruled out for the remaining series after suffering multiple fractures on his thumb while fielding on Wednesday, opening day of the first Test in Galle.
The all-rounder will undergo surgery in Colombo later Wednesday. After receiving the injury he was taken to hospital where an X-ray confirmed the serious injury.
“Most probably he will miss a minimum of four weeks. We will know in the next 48 hours about the time frame,” Sri Lanka’s cricket manager Asanka Gurusinha told reporters. Also read: India in Sri Lanka: Cheteshwar Pujara Slams 12th Test Hundred
“He has fractures in three places. As soon as we saw the X-rays we knew it was very serious and we rushed him to Colombo. (It’s) tough to lose one of our main players. We are down with ten players against the world’s number one team. He was our in-form batsman,” Gurusinha.
Gunaratne, 31, sustained the injury in the first session of the Test while trying to take a catch off India’s Shikhar Dhawan, who went on to score his career best 190 off 168, at second slip. He dived to his left but the ball hit him on the thumb before spilling on to the ground. He left the field clutching his wrist. Also read: India in Sri Lanka: Virat Kohli’s Struggle For Form in Tests Continue
Gunaratne hit an unbeaten 80 in Sri Lanka’s record fourth-innings chase against Zimbabwe last week.
Meanwhile, India finished the day on record 399 for 2. While Cheteshwar Pujara will resume his innings on day two on 144 Ajinkya Rahane will accompany him with his personal score 39. However, skipper Virat Kohli was dismissed for three.
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