3 reasons why Dushmantha Chameera and Nuwan Thushara's absence is a big blow to Sri Lanka for India series
In what comes as a serious blow to Sri Lanka ahead of the three-match T20I series against India, speedsters Dushmantha Chameera and Nuwan Thushara have been ruled out. With two of Sri Lanka's premier white-ball format bowlers sidelined, the hosts will find it difficult to come up with the goods against India.
Chameera, one of the most experienced Sri Lankan bowlers, is recovering from bronchitis and respiratory infection. Meanwhile, Thushara recently injured his left thumb during a training session.
Even though Thushara suffered the injury on his non-bowling arm, the severity was enough to keep him out of the side. T20 World Cup champions India will be back to full strength with the return of all the World Cup stars, except for Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja, who have retired from the shortest format.
The Men in Blue have all their bases covered and Sri Lanka will have their task cut out, especially in the absence of their two premier pacers. Let us have a look at why the absence of Dushmantha Chameera and Nuwan Thushara will be a major blow for the Lankans.
#1. Sri Lanka's Chameera and Thushara together could have been a threat to the Indian batters
Dushmantha Chameera and Thushara haven't played a lot of cricket together but they have the ability to hunt in packs. Both of them bowl at a good pace but their natural trajectories are a bit different from each other. While Chameera is predominantly a hit-the-deck bowler, Thushara relies more on his yorkers and slower ones to make the breakthroughs.
Chameera’s career has been marred by injuries, as a result of which, he hasn't really realized his potential yet. He could have troubled India's top order in the upcoming series with his lateral movement off the deck while Thushara, with his 'slingas,' could have been a threat on Sri Lankan wickets. The two missing together could be a massive setback for the hosts.
#2. Thushara had a good time at the 2024 T20 World Cup
Despite Sri Lanka’s below-par showing at the 2024 T20 World Cup, Nuwan Thushara made a significant impact with the ball. His natural lengths, to go with his swinging deliveries, made life difficult for the opposition batters. A man in form needs to continue playing to sustain his consistency.
The 29-year-old bagged eight wickets in three matches during the World Cup and consistently asked questions. He delivers from an awkward angle with an action that looks even more round arm than Lasith Malinga. He can consistently nail the yorker like his master and would have been crucial against the Indian batters.
# 3. Chameera’s experience would have been important against a top-quality India side
What Dushmantha Chameera brings to the table is his experience of bowling against top-quality batters and having success on quite a few occasions.
The 32-year-old has the ability to consistently clock the 140 kmph mark with movement both in the air and off the deck. The speedster has been around the international circuit for almost a decade now. He has been consistent in whatever opportunities he has gotten in the white-ball format. His absence might make a big difference to the series against India.