Sri Lankan cricketers to return in action for fitness test on Friday
All is not well for Sri Lanka at the moment. Not a long ago, Proteas inflicted a 2-0 whitewash on Sri Lanka in South African soil. After getting battered and bruised at the hands of South Africa, they returned home to lock horns with England. Although they showed a pretty decent fight, they couldn’t match England’s dominance.
England comfortably defeated the depleted Lankan side in both the Tests. As a result, the English side registered a comprehensive 2-0 whitewash on Sri Lanka. Shockingly, the Lankans failed to protect their deteriorating fortress as they lost consecutive games in Galle. Looks like they are going in the downward direction.
Sri Lankan players to undergo a fitness test
Sri Lankan board and the players came under fire for not taking the sport very seriously. Two weeks ago, Ajantha Wattegama was sacked from the post with immediate effect after being accused of hiding actual fitness reports of Sri Lankan players. Since Ajantha did against the ICC guidelines, he was sacked from the role.
In the wake of two successive clean sweeps, important decisions were taken under the national sports minister’s guidance in order to revamp Sri Lankan team altogether. The team’s dismal performances against South Africa and England triggered a massive uproar.
Since they were unable to win at least one game, questions were raised in and around the team. One of the significant things is the fitness level of cricketers as around 10 cricketers were injured in the last 1 month.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan players are geared up for their upcoming tour of West Indies. But, the training session was put on halt last week after head coach Mickey Arthur and Sri Lanka player Lahiru Thirimanne tested positive for coronavirus pandemic. However, the cricketers will return to action on February 12 with a ‘fitness test’ slated to determine their fitness levels.
Based on the fitness score of players, the team management will take the necessary steps. After that, the Sri Lankan squad will resume training on the 16th February 2021 to partake in the tour of West Indies, which is in advanced talks.
