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Key players cleared for Sri Lanka tour | 00:49
Spinner Matt Kuhnemann has declared himself pain-free ahead of Australia’s Test series in Sri Lanka as the tourists got their first look at the Galle pitch.
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Kuhnemann is with the Aussie camp after being granted approval to fly to Sri Lanka, despite suffering a compound dislocation and fracture to the thumb of his non-bowling hand during a Brisbane Heat BBL game earlier this month.
Sporting a bright-green guard on his thumb, Kuhnemann trained on Sunday and punched gloves with teammates.
Should he be declared fit to play in this week’s first Test in Galle, Kuhnemann is expected to partner veteran Nathan Lyon in the Australian XI.
“I had successful surgery and it’s healed really well,” Kuhnemann told ABC Sport from Sri Lanka. “There’s no pain at all anymore and everyday it’s getting better and better, so I’m feeling confident.
“I’ve been very fortunate I’ve had some great medical people look after me in the past week. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here.”
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It’s understood Kuhnemann, pending his fitness, will be preferred over Victorian Todd Murphy as he’s a left-arm orthodox bowler who spins the ball in the opposite direction to right-armers Lyon and Murphy.
Although there’s a chance Murphy plays as well and lines up alongside both Lyon and Kuhnemann – a strategy Australian selectors used for three Tests in India in early 2023.
Whether the Aussies play two or three spinners will depend on their assessment of the Galle wicket, which the tourists got a close look at on Sunday during a training session.
CODE Sports’ Daniel Cherny and The Age’s Dan Brettig both posted pictures of the Galle ground’s square from their respective X accounts, with the pitch expected to be used roped off.
“I think every time you come here – well me personally and probably a couple of the other guys in the team – we’re hoping it’s going to spin,” Kuhnemann said.
“We’ll have a look at the wicket and see how we go, but it’s still a bit early. We’ll get a gauge on what it’s going to be like, but you never know. Sometimes it’ll be a nice batting wicket and spin later, or sometimes – like we saw last time the Aussies were here – it spun from day one.
Travis Head of Australia bats during an Australia nets session at Galle International Stadium. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images“It’s a great place to bowl spin and it’s a great place to lay cricket.”
It comes after Sri Lanka named an 18-man squad for the two-Test series against Australia, with emerging star batter Kamindu Mendis named despite suffering a hand injury last week during a first-class game.
Kamindu on Sunday was named as the ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year. He was one of six batters to score over 1000 Test runs in the 2024 calendar year, amassing 1049 runs at an average of 74.92 while conjuring five centuries and three fifties.
