CHENNAI: Sri Lanka off-spinner Sachithra Senanayake will be the first international cricketer to undergo bio-mechanical tests for suspect action at the Sri Ramachandra Medical Institute in the city.
Senanayake, who was banned by the ICC in August for more than permissible bend, has been working in Colombo to remodel his action under Sri Lanka Cricket’s head bowling coach Jerome Jayaratne. The SLC has confirmed the 29-year-old will travel to Chennai to test his new action.
The SRMI is one of the four ICC-approved centres with state-of-the-art facilities and more importantly, has a tie-up with the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
“The dates are not formailised. But he will undergo the test under the medical staff at SRMI. The facilities are even better to what was there before and that is one of the prime reasons why the ICC approved this,” said an official, who is aware of the development.
What makes the testing interesting is the fact that the entire process will be carried out in a 2D system, which has come under scanner in the past. Though the experts at the University of Western Australia (ICC’s testing partner for 20 years) have critised the new system employed by the ICC for the secrecy surrounding the tests, the world body has maintained that the new system is based on advanced research and new studies.
It is also worth noting that SRMI got ICC and BCCI’s recognition recently, to carry out bio-mechanic tests. The UWA has said that the medical staff are inexperienced and it could reflect in the outcome of the tests.