Burns could miss Sri Lanka tour with ankle injury

CAPE TOWN (REUTERS): England opener Rory Burns is a doubt for England’s two-test tour of Sri Lanka in March as he faces surgery on an ankle ligament injury sustained playing football in South Africa.

Burns was injured ahead of the second test against South Africa in Cape Town and has been ruled out of the remainder of the four-match series, but now faces the prospect of being sidelined for Sri Lanka as well, according to reports in the British press.

England have battled with a settled opening partnership in recent years, but Burns has brought some solidity to the top of the order, and was impressive with a fighting 84 in the first test loss to South Africa in Pretoria. He was injured on Thursday while playing football to warm-up for training at Newlands, and was immediately ruled him out of the rest of the tour.