Jasprit Bumrah's Absence Disadvantage For India? Sri Lanka Great Gives Blunt Verdict
Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of the series and replaced by Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi in the squad.
- Hashan Tillakaratne said if Sri Lanka play to their potential, they could hurt a Jasprit Bumrah-less India
- Bumrah was ruled out of the series and replaced by Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi in the squad
- "He is one of the best bowlers in world today. His absence gives Sri Lanka an advantage," said Tillakaratne
Former Sri Lanka captain Hashan Tillakaratne feels India will be at a major disadvantage without pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah in the upcoming two-match Test series in the island nation. Bumrah was included in the squad by the selectors last month, but his availability remains subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI's medical team. However, ahead of the team's departure to Colombo, Bumrah was ruled out of the series and replaced by Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi in the squad.
Speaking to RevSportz in Colombo, Tillakaratne suggested that if Sri Lanka play to their potential, they could hurt a Bumrah-less India. He also noted that India cannot be taken lightly considering their immense talent pool.
"It's certainly good news for Sri Lanka because we all know how skilful Bumrah is. I think he is one of the best bowlers in world cricket today. His absence gives Sri Lanka an advantage. That said, we cannot take India lightly. They still have some excellent players. Sri Lanka are coming into the series after a successful tour of the West Indies, and we have all the ingredients to go all the way. If we play to our potential, we can certainly be victorious," said Tillakaratne.
Tillakaratne also spoke highly of India captain Shubman Gill, praising his batting technique. However, the former Sri Lanka captain feels the Sri Lankan conditions could be the real litmus test for Gill and the Indian team.
"I love watching him bat. He is technically very sound and plays beautifully on good batting tracks. This series will be a real test for him on turning pitches. It will be interesting to see how he performs in these conditions," he added.
Meanwhile, Gill sustained an injury to his right ring finger during a practice session ahead of the first Sri Lanka Test scheduled from August 15 onwards.
The injury comes as a serious blow to India ahead of the Test series and is being monitored by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) medical team. As a precautionary measure, he is missing Day 1 of the warm-up match against SLC XI taking place on Friday. KL Rahul is leading the team in his absence.
(With ANI Inputs)
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