The bowling action of Matheesha Pathirana, which puts “immense strain on his back,” is a concern for Ravichandran Ashwin.
Pathirana was one of the surprises of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2017, taking 19 wickets at an average of 19.20 from 12 games to help the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) win a fifth title that broke all previous records.
Due to a hamstring injury sustained during the second Twenty20 International between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in Sylhet on March 6, the bowler is expected to miss the first four to five weeks of the 2024 Indian Premier League. The Times of India reported this information.
It has been said that Pathirana’s slingy action is similar to that of his illustrious countryman, Lasith Malinga. On the other hand, Pathirana releases the ball from a considerably lower height, which puts a lot of strain on his back, according to Tamil Nadu off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
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“He has an issue, but Malinga doesn’t: his angle of release is significantly lower. It is incredibly taxing on his core, and it puts a great deal of strain on his back. When he lets go of the ball, his front leg literally collapses. Lasith Malinga attempts to strike a lovely side-on stance. He will have his feet and back parallel to the crease. But that is lost on Pathirana. “In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Ashwin stated that the action is breaking, rotating, and has tremendous torque.”
I was informed by Lasith Malinga himself that he’s a fantastic prospect. Ravichandran Ashwin
Also disclosed by Ravichandran Ashwin was his conversation with Malinga about Pathirana. The young player has a terrific prospect, the retired bowler informed Ashwin. The Indian legend admitted that because of Pathirana’s unconventional behavior, it was quite challenging to deal with him. But if the Kandy native carried on with the behavior, the seasoned spin legend appeared concerned for his safety.
“He’s got various difficulties now, so I know the complexity of dealing with him is different. Although he may still be in the early phases and needs to fill out further, he is already placing himself in risky situations and facing challenges. Since I’ve worked with Malinga so much, I feel that he’s a tremendous prospect, but Malinga himself warned me that he gets into tough spots,” Ashwin said.
At the famous MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk, Chennai, the Chennai Super Kings will take on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Friday, March 22, starting their title defense.
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