Injury beckons Sri Lanka to make two forced changes for second Test

Friday, 3 July 2026 00:20 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Pathum Nissanka

Lahiru Kumara

Double blow as Nissanka and Kumara ruled out

Sri Lanka already one-nil down in the two-match Test series against West Indies were further hit with the non-availability of two key players Pathum Nissanka and fast bowler Lahiru Kumara for the second Test commencing at Antigua on Friday.

Nissanka has left the squad and travelled to London to undergo surgery on a long-standing wrist injury. He has already pulled out of the Lanka Premier League sixth edition which commences in the middle of this month.

Although Nissanka’s absence is looked as a major blow the 27-year-old prolific opener has not been in the best of form in the Caribbean being dismissed for scores of 2 and 3 in the first Test which Sri Lanka lost by an innings inside four days.

Kumara has been a big disappointment for Sri Lanka. The injury prone fast bowler broke down in the middle of the first Test with a hamstring injury after bowling just one over, leaving the bowling attack short of one specialist bowler. West Indies seized the opportunity to pile up a massive 626-9 declared and defeat Sri Lanka by a huge margin of an innings and 217 runs.

A media release from Sri Lanka Cricket stated that “Lahiru Kumara felt a tightness in his right hamstring while running in to bowl the second over in the first Test match and he was immediately assessed by the team physiotherapist, following which it was decided that he undergo an MRI scan”.

With Nissanka ruled out Lahiru Udara who has been named as third opener is likely to fill in the slot and open the batting Nishan Madushka. Uncapped Isitha Wijesundara is a strong contender for Kumara’s spot.

Sri Lanka went into the first Test with a four-prong fast bowling attack, leaving out their prime spinner Prabath Jayasuriya. Depending on the surface they will get for the second Test Jayasuriya may be recalled to the eleven. In the absence of a specialist spinner, all-rounder Sonal Dinusha was called upon to bowl a marathon 56 overs, the most by a Sri Lankan bowler in the West Indies innings. – [ST]