Had it not been for the permission from the International Cricket Council (ICC) on use of an inhaler, Sri Lanka would have been without the services of skipper Dinesh Chandimal in the second Test as well.
Down with pneumonia, Chandimal missed the series opener, leaving his team’s batting severely depleted at Galle.
“I am much better. Thanks to the ICC, they gave me the permission to use the inhaler and that will help me breathe properly. Rangana (Herath) is also fit to play,” said Chandimal, giving an update on Herath and his fitness.
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According to anti-doping rules, a player needs permission from the authorities before taking a medicine with a banned substance. It falls under Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE), where if the medication happens to fall under the prohibited list, TUE may give the athlete the authorisation to take it.
Faced with the challenge of lifting his side after the heavy defeat in Galle, Chandimal has his work cut out in the second Test. The main test of his leadership will be to motivate his men. “We want to forget the mistakes we did in the first game. We want to take the positives out of it and go forward. That’s what I’m always talking to the boys. They are looking forward to this game,” said the Lanka captain.
{{/usCountry}}Faced with the challenge of lifting his side after the heavy defeat in Galle, Chandimal has his work cut out in the second Test. The main test of his leadership will be to motivate his men. “We want to forget the mistakes we did in the first game. We want to take the positives out of it and go forward. That’s what I’m always talking to the boys. They are looking forward to this game,” said the Lanka captain.
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With the pitch expected to take turn as the game progresses, Sri Lanka are going with an attacking mindset. They are bracing for the spin challenge by training on turning tracks.
“We’ve been doing the tough work; preparing for turning pitches, and playing reverse sweeps and sweeps. We always do the tough things in practice. When we go to the middle it might be helpful as a batsman,” said Chandimal.
Against a strong opposition, it is about taking risks, said Chandimal. Seeking inspiration from his match-winning hundred against India at Galle in 2015, the Lanka captain said: “When you are playing a really good team like India, you have to take risks when you are batting or bowling. If you can do that, you can perform. That’s what I did in Galle two years ago. I’m looking forward to doing well in this series.”